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MAP OF 

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ISLANDS, SHOALS, CHANNELS. BUOYS, LIGHTHOUSES, AND LEDGES, 

FROM NAHANT TO MINOTS LIGHT. 



PI(EPAUKI) EXPHKSSLV FOU THE 

DESCRIPTIVE AND HISTORICAL SKETCH OF BOSTON HARBOR, 

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DESCRIPTIVE AND HISTORICAL 

SKETCH 



OF 



Boston Harbor 



AND 



SURROUNDINGS 



GIVING 



ALL THE ISLANDS, LEDGES, SHOALS, BUOYS, 

CHANNELS, AND TOWNS FROM 

NAHANT TO MINOT'S 



Cfjcir location anli l^igtorg 



BOSTON 
W. M. TENNEY AND COMPANY 






COPYRIGHT, 1885. 



INTRODUCTION. 



As a rule, seaport towns have a fascination which 
the most favored of inland municipalities cannot ap- 
proximate ; for while the former are not hindered from 
adorning themselves with all the graces of their inland 
sisters, they have, besides, that atmosphere of direct 
connection with remote quarters of the globe, which 
appeals, not only to all imaginative natures, but also to 
every one who is not a veritable Gradgrind at heart. 
The editor of this sketch well remembers with what 
joy he looked forward in his boyhood days to the 
rare occasions when his father took him from a Con- 
necticut town to visit New York for a day or two ; how 
he wandered along the quays, weaving day-dreams ; 
imagining that the grotesque figurehead of this vessel 
had perhaps peered over the shores of a fragrant spice 
island, or that mayhap a Polynesian cannibal had clam- 
bered up the stern of another ; how he admired the 
silent force of the liquid element that lazily swayed 
these huge masses at their moorings ; and how, finally, 

the vivid impressions of these. scenes would last and 
61ft ' ^ . 

Edwn L Whitney f}' 

DEC 8- 1938 



INTRODUCTION. 

furnish him retrospective entertainment for weeks after 
his return to the paternal roof. 

Attractive as seaport towns are, there are few more 
dehghtful than Boston, and its harbor is a very store- 
house of natural beauties, historical remmiscences, and 
opportunities for healthful rational enjoyment. These 
advantages are becoming more appreciated from year 
to year, and to those who wish to enjoy its beauties 
the following pages are offered as a guide. While 
they can simply indicate the manifold points of interest 
which attach to each island, strait, and promontory, 
they will have achieved their mission if they but 
awaken the interest of the reader and point out his 
way for him. 



Ifeistorical Skctcl} 

OF 

BOSTON HARBOR. 



The most southerly of the wharves which Hne the 
water front of Boston are used as landing-places lor 
the numerous excursion steamers which ply the harbor. 
Embarking in one of these, let us ascend to the upper 
deck, and, before the start is made, take our bearings, 
and locate our surroundings. Looking eastward, we 
see the great area of flats lying between East Boston 
and Governor's Island. Nearest the chan- ^ira island 
nel are Bird Island Flats, named from the I'lats. 
sunken island of which they form a part, and separated 
from Governor's Island by Governor's Island Channel. 
Beyond these, are Noddle's Island Flats, bearing the 
name originally given to the whole of East Boston. 
The harbor makes in somewhat here, forming a bay, 
dry at low water, bounded on the east by Winthrop, 
north by Breed's Island, and west by East Boston. 
South of Winthrop are Snake and Apple islands, bear- 
ing a few trees. 

On our right are the docks on the newly filled flats 
of South Boston, which are separated from Boston 
proper by a channel running into the South Bay of 
Boston, known as Fort Point Channel. 

The harbor here is narrow, with Boston and East 
Boston on either side, and extends to the Navy Yard. 
Navy Yard at Charlestown, which forms its extreme 

7 



8 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

limit. The water within range of the eye from this 
Inner point, inside and westward of Governor's 

Harbor, g^^^j Castle Islands, is called the Inner 
Harbor. 

Starting on our excursion, the steamer takes the 
Main Ship Channel, the deepest and best in the har- 
bor, and the one used by all larger vessels. The boun- 
dary lines are well marked by the United States govern- 
ment, and the channel has frequently been improved 
by dredging. The following brief description of the 
buoys, and the laws governing the signals of vessels, 
will be found useful as we proceed. 

On entering a harbor the red buoys are always on 
Buoys. the right or starboard side, and the black 
buoys on the left or port side. They are usually num- 
bered from the mouth of the harbor. Buoys are of 
three kinds : spar, can, and nun buoys. The nun buoys 
are of three classes according to their size, and are 
shaped thus. 9 Can buoys are shaped thus. Q Buoys 
painted red and black in horizontal stripes mark sunken 
ledges or wrecks. Steamers are required to give warn- 

Steamer i^g to Others by whistle on which side they 

Whistles, intend to pass : one blast to the starboard, 
and two blasts to port. Failure to comply with this 
law makes the steamers Hable to heavy damages, and 
renders the pilot or sailing master liable to have his 
license revoked. Steamers must keep out of the way of 
sailing vessels. A steamer flying the United States 
Mail Signal — a white burgee with the letters U. S. 
M. — has more privileges than others. 

On passing into the channel we leave on our right 
Fort Point t^e flats forming the eastern boundary 
Channel. the mouth of Fort Point Channel. They 
are quite extensive, extending from the city proper to 
the extreme point of South Boston. The first buoy on 
Buoy No. 11, ouJ" course is the black spar buoy No. ii, 
Slate Ledge, situated on the edge of the flats, and 



^OF BOSTON HARBOR. 9 

marking Slate Ledge, which is dry at low water. From 
this point to the city is a favorite anchorage ground for 
many of the larger yachts. On the other side of the 
channel is the site of the once famous Bird's Island, 
now only a shoal, bare at low water, and marked on its 
northeast end by an iron spindle with a red cage on top. 
In early days this was a good-sized island, with a head- 
land toward Governor's Island. In the narrow chan- 
nel between, the tide swept with great swiftness. The 
site of the headland is now marked by a red spar buoy. 
No. 12, in twelve feet of water. In 1630 this island was 
as large as Governor's Island, and in 1636 the General 
Court granted a right for parties to mow the grass upon 
its meadow. In April, 1658, we find a record that it 
was "left to James Everill and Rich. Woody for sixty 
years, paying I2d. silver, or a bushel of salt, in defect 
of paym't att y' day 1 2d. or a bushel of salt for every 
month's neglect." In 1726 a Frenchman who was 
hanged in Charlestown was buried here and it was a 
common burial-ground for criminals. 

Governor's Island Channel has red buoy ^^^ Buoy 
No. 12 at the northern point of its en- No. i». 
trance, and black spar buoy No. 7 at the southern point. 




GOVERNOR'S ISLAND. 

Governor's Island is two 

miles from Boston, and 

half a mile from Castle Island. It was known in early 

times as Conant's Island, being named from Richard 



lO HISTORICAL SKETCH 

Conant, an early settler of Plymouth. It is of irregu- 
lar shape, one mile long, and seventy feet high. In 
1632 it was devised to Governor John Winthrop, and 
the rental was fixed at a hogshead of wine from the 
products of the island. It was greatly improved by 
the governor, and became a favorite resort, soon gain- 
ing the name of Governor's or Winthrop's Island. In 
1696 two batteries were built, and in 1746 the island 
was still more thoroughly fortified. In 1808 it was 
sold to the General Government, and Fort Warren 
was erected on its summit, but later this name was 
given to the fort at the mouth of the harbor. In 181 2 
the fort was well garrisoned, and new defences were 
erected. 

The present works were begun before the Civil 
War broke out, and were named Fort Winthrop. 
During that war the State militia did garrison duty 
here. The island contains seventy acres, with a mod- 
erate hill on its western side. This hill is crowned 
with a battery, and honeycombed by a network of sub- 
terranean passages. On the south side is a stone 
staircase to the water battery. The eastern side of 
the island is lowland. The Governor's Island Shoals 
make out on its eastern and northern sides. On the 
Black Buoy opposite side of the channel is black nun 

No. 9. buoy No. 9, situated on the northeast side 
of the shoal which makes off from South Boston. This 
vicinity is called the Upper Middle, and makes a bar 
that formerly almost extended across the channel. 
The highlands of South Boston (Dorchester Heights) 
are quite prominent from this point. On their summit 
is the large building of the BHnd Asylum, while on the 
shore, almost in range, are the city buildings. House of 
Correction, and Lunatic Asylum. The extreme point 
of the peninsula is called City Point, off whose southern 
shore is moored the fleet of yachts belonging to the 
Boston and South Boston Clubs. 



OF BOSTON HARBOR. 



II 




CASTLE ISLAND AND FORT INDE- 
PENDENCE. 

We now pass abreast of Castle Island, on which is 
Fort Independence. This island is situated two and 
one-half miles from Boston, and one mile from the 
main land, and its shores are protected by a sea wall. 
This island has for over two hundred and fifty years 
been the site of a fortification. In 1634 two platforms 
and a small earthwork were erected, under the superin- 
tendence of Roger Ludlow, of Dorchester, and its first 
commander was Capt. Nicholas Simpson, of the 
Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company. In 1638 
the fort was abandoned by the government, and the 
island was leased to Captain Gibbons. The fortifica- 
tions were kept up by the citizens of the surrounding 
towns till 1643. In 1650 the government again took 
it in charge, and renewed the old fortifications. A 
settlement of families was established, so as to form a 
resident garrison. At this time the fort frequently 
prevented disturbances between opposing foreign ves- 
sels. The castle was of brick, and had three rooms, — 
a dwelling below, a lodging room on the second floor, 
and a gun room over that. Boston erected a large 
bell upon its summit. 



12 



HISTORICAL SKETCH 



In 1661 Nicholas Upshall, under sentence for bring- 
ing Quakers to Boston, was confined here. The fort 
was struck by Hghtning in 1665, and its commander, 
Capt. Davenport, was killed. In 1672 it was burnt, 
and the following year the General Court rebuilt it from 
funds raised by a tax levy of one shilling a ton on 
every vessel of twelve tons burden entering the port 
of Boston. This new fort was of stone ; had four 
bastions mounting thirty-eight guns, and under its 
walls was a small stone battery of six guns. All pass- 
ing vessels were required to lower their colors, and 
those passing out had to show permits signed by the 




Governor. In 1689 the Boston people seized the fort, 
on account of the civil commotion in England, and 
imprisoned within its walls King James's representative. 
The old works were removed in 1701, and a new fort 
of brick was built. The greater part of the cost of 
these new works was borne by the English govern- 
ment, and the name, " Fort William and Mary," given 
it. In 1 691 the name was changed to Castle William, 
in honor of King William III. Some parts of these 
works remain to-day under the walls of the present 
fortress. 

From 1 701 to the Revolutionary War (evacuation of 



OF BOSTON HARBOR. I3 

Boston) the fort was garrisoned principally by English 
troops. Its armament was strengthened at various 
times, and it is said that in 1750 the fort possessed 
one hundred guns. In 1764, barracks were erected for 
the accommodation of four hundred and eighty men, 
and here the American colonists received their first 
practical lessons in artillery practice, which, in after 
years, proved to them of much value. During the 
siege of Boston in 1776, the British considered this 
fort a coign of vantage, and turned its guns upon the 
Americans' fortification erected on Dorchester Heights, 
but a storm prevented the serious encounter, and wise 
councils led to the withdrawal of all the British troops 
in Boston Harbor. At this evacuation, March 17, 
1776, the garrison destroyed the fort, and devastated 
the Island. In 1778 Congress rebuilt the works, and 
the garrison during the Revolution was mostly an 
invalid corps. Its barracks were used for recruits. 
From 1785 to 1805 the fort was used as a prison for 
State criminals. In 1798 Massachusetts ceded the 
island to the United States Government. The stronof- 
hold was named Fort Independence, in 1799, at the 
time of a visit of President John Adams. In 1803 a 
new fort was finished, with five bastions. During the 
war of 1 81 3 it was garrisoned by Massachusetts mili- 
tia. The present fortress was built in 1850. It has 
five sides, with guns in casemates, and large guns on 
top. It is built of granite. Inside of the enclosure is 
a large parade ground, while inside of the walls are the 
soldiers' quarters. Back of the fort, to the southwest, 
reached through a gateway, is a grassy plot, planted 
with trees, on which are erected a few houses used by 
the former officers. Near the west front of the fort is 
the old cemetery, where the remains of several of the 
old garrison are resting. The building on the south 
part of the island has been used as the Hospital. Dur- 
ing the late Civil War this fort was garrisoned by 



14 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

many of the Boston militia companies. In 1863 the 
fort had one hundred and five cannon, and was the 
headquarters of the recruiting department of the 
State. 

In 1 88 1 the garrison was taken away and sent to 
Fort Warren, at the mouth of the harbor, for the 
reason stated by Gen. Hancock : " Concentration in 
one place is better for discipline." The fort, like its 
neighbor, Fort Winthrop, is only garrisoned at this 
time by a sergeant and a few men to keep things in 
repair. This fortress is the oldest post in the country, 
and it has been almost continuously occupied since its 
first erection, in 1634, to within a few years. It has 
never been besieged, and from its bastions have floated 
Gov. Endicott's flag. Cross of St. George (red cross on 
white field), Pine Tree (white Massachusetts flag), and 
the United States stars and stripes. 

On the other side of the channel, about midway 
between Castle Island and Governor's Island, is a red 

Red Buoy ^^^^ buoy of the second class, No. 12. 
No. 18. It marks the northern point of the western 
entrance of the north channel of the Main Ship Chan- 
nel. The southern point of entrance to this channel is 
marked by a red nun buoy of the third class. No. 10. 
Lower Mid- The Lower Middle is an extensive shoal 

die Shoal, lying E. s. E. by W. N. W., is one mile 
long, bare at mean low water. It lies in the middle 
of the channel. On its southern side, and about mid- 
way of its entire length, is the red first-class nun buoy 
No. 8, marking two small rocks which have six feet of 
water at low tide. These rocks are called State Ledge. 
Further beyond, and at the eastern extremity of the 

Red Buoy Lower Middle, is another red buoy. No. 6. 
No. 6. It marks the southern point of the eastern 
entrance of the Main Ship North Channel. 

On the other — or south — side of the south Main Ship 
Channel is a black nun buoy of the second class. No. 7, 



OF BOSTON HARBOR. 1 5 

which is situated on the southeast point of the shoals 
that make off from the southeast side of Castle Island, 
extending to a distance of six hundred yards These 
shoals run around the island, south and west, to South 
Boston Point. 

PRESIDENT ROADS AND APPLE 
ISLAND. 
We now enter into what is called President 
Roads, formerly known as King's Roads. It is also 
sometimes designated as the Middle Harbor, — a wide 
and good anchorage situated between Governor's 
and Apple islands flats on the north, Deer Island on 
the east, Long and Spectacle islands on the south, 
and Castle and Governor's islands on the west. It is 
one and three fourths miles long, and nearly three 
fourths of a mile wide. On the north will be seen 
Winthrop on the main land, whose southern point is 
Point Shirley. Northeast of Point Shirley is a small 
island called Snake Island. About three fourths of a 
mile southwest from this island is another, called 
Apple Island. It contains about ten acres, is round 
in shape, with the land gradually rising from the shore 
to a height of fifty feet. On its summit are seen a few 
trees, said to be quite old. The island takes its name 
from its shape. Extensive shoals surrounding this 
island make it difficult of approach at low tide. In the 
earliest days of the colony this island belonged to Bos- 
ton, and was used for pasturage. It afterwards fell 
into private hands, and, passing through various owner- 
ships, during which it was highly cultivated, and a 
handsome residence erected on it, it was purchased 
in 1822 by William Marsh, who died here in 1833. 
In conformity with his dying request he was buried 
on the western side of the hill. After being in neglect 
for many years, the city of Boston bought the island in 
1867 for ^3,750. It has never been occupied since, 



i6 



HISTORICAL SKETCH 



but in recent years the water in its vicinity has been 
used as a site for burning old hulks, for the purpose 
of saving the iron and copper. 




DEER ISLAND. 

The large island forming the eastern boundary of 
President's Roads is Deer Island. It is four and one- 
half miles from Boston, and separated from Point 
Shirley by a narrow strait three hundred feet wide, 
called Shirley Gut, through which the waters of the 
inner harbor rush with immense velocity. The island 
contains one hundred and thirty-four acres of upland, 
and fifty acres of lowland ; it is about one mile long, 
and about one third of a mile wide at its widest point, 
and has two hills and four bluffs. The highest of these 
hills is called Signal Hill. It has two fresh-water 
ponds. Extensive flats make out on the easterly side 
of the island. In 1840 the government built a sea 
wall to prevent the washing away of the land on the 
easterly side. The name Deer Island was given it, 
probably in Winthrop's time, from the great numbers 
of deer (deare) that fled to its shores to escape the 
attacks of the wolves. Densely wooded in these early 
times, it was a great game preserve for the colonists. 
April I, 1634, Boston was granted this island, together 



OF BOSTON HARBOR. 1 7 

with Long and Hog Island (Breed Island) for the small 
rent of two pounds, — afterwards reduced to two shil- 
lings, — with Spectacle Island thrown in ; it has ever 
since remained under the same ownership. In 1675-6 
Massachusetts used the island as a dwelling for the 
Christian Indians of the colonies during the Indian wars. 
A marauding party of the American army, in 1775, cap- 
tured eight hundred sheep pastured hereby the British. 
A fortification was built upon the island in 1813 to 
protect Broad Sound. At this time it was a favorite 
picnic ground for the inhabitants of Boston. In 1850, 
city buildings were erected here at a cost of $150,000, 
and more were added in 1869. The large brick build- 
ing crowned with a cupola is the House of Industry. 
The other buildings on the island are the House of 
Reformation, a school-house for truant boys, farm- 
house, bakery, workshops, a large piggery, and numer- 
ous smaller constructions. The island is highly cul- 
tivated both as a farm and garden. Deer Island is the 
northern limit of Boston Harbor entrance, Broad Sound 
while Point AUerton is the southern limit. Entrance. 
The southern point of Deer Island is the entrance to 
Broad Sound: Nix's Mate and Long Island Head 
forming the southern point of entrance. A red pyra- 
mid, named Deer Island Point Beacon, marks a shoal 
which makes out a quarter of a mile from the extreme 
southern point of the island. 

SPECTACLE ISLAND. 

On the south of President Roads, looking to the 
southwest, we see Spectacle Island, and further be-' 
yond, Thompson's. The channel that runs to the 
westward of these islands is the entrance Dorchester 
to Dorchester Bay (Neponset River). Entrance!^ 
The channel to Ouincy Bay has its entrance between 
Spectacle Island and Long Island Head ouincy Bay 
to the south, and the entrance to the Channel. 



l8 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

Western or Back Way channel is between Spectacle 
Western, or and Thompson's islands. Two high bluffs 
Back Way. connected by a narrow isthmus form Spec- 
tacle Island and suggested its name. The northern 
hill is sixty-five feet high, with steep faces worn by 
action of the water. The southern hill is about the 
same height as the northern, and its faces are steep, 
except on its southern side, which is low and sandy. 
Both these islands are barren of trees, and are dotted 
with a few houses. This island is first mentioned 
in 1634, when it was granted to Boston with Deer, 
Long, and Hog islands at a rental of two shil- 
lings. In 1649 the town exacted a small rental from 
the settler of the island, but relinquished its right 
thereto in 1666, and soon after this, we find one 
Thomas Bill, a lighterman, purchasing the rights of 
the several owners. His son Samuel Bill, a butcher, 
was the first sole proprietor of the island ; at his death, 
in 1706, it was divided between his widow and son. In 
1717 the government purchased a portion of the 
southerly end, and built a pest-house thereon. This 
station was removed to Rainsford Island in 1737. The 
whole of the island, in 1737, again came into possession 
of the Bill family, and it has remained in private hands 
ever since. For many years it was a pleasure-ground 
for excursion parties. A hotel was built here in 1847, 
and many families lived on the island during the warm 
season ; but the purchase of the island by Nahum 
Ward, in 1857, for the business of utilizing the car- 
cases of horses, forever put an end to picnics and sum- 
merings on Spectacle Island. 

THOMPSON'S ISLAND. 

Thompson's Island is three miles from Bost^on, one 
mile from Fort Independence. It is one mile long and 
one third of a mile wide ; it rises in the centre to a hill 
seventy-five feet high, with a steep face to the north. 



OF BOSTON HARBOR. I9 

Its southern side terminates in a long, narrow, sandy 
spit, extending to within one hundred feet of the main 
land at Squantum. The group of buildings on the 
height is the Farm School for Indigent Boys. The 
west head has a grove of trees ; on the north and west 
sides of the island the channels are deep, but, on the 
south and east, flats make off for some distance. The 
island was claimed in 1621 for David Thompson by 
William Trevors, a sailor with John Smith ; it was first 
named Island of Trevors, and afterwards Thompson's 
Island. David Thompson was a Scottish gentleman, 
who accompanied Capt. John Smith when the latter ex- 
plored the harbor in 16 19. Receiving a patent for con- 
siderable land about New England, from the Privy 
Council in 1632, Thompson first settled at Piscataqua, 
N. H., in 1623, with his family. In 1626 he settled upon 
the island and established a trading-post for furs and 
fish. It was the only island that had a harbor. 
Thompson died in 1628, leaving the island to his wife 
and infant son. In 1629 his widow returned to Eng- 
land. In 1634 Massachusetts granted the island to 
Dorchester, but fourteen years later, young John 
Thompson presented his prior claim, which was recog- 
nized by the government, and Thompson, after returning 
to England, sold the island to two Bristol merchants. 
For one hundred and fifty years after this, the island 
was used for farming, the soil being the most fertile of 
any in the harbor. In 1834 the Boston Farm School 
Corporation purchased the island for $6,000, and it 
was annexed to Boston. The present brick build- 
ing, one hundred and sixty feet in length, was then 
erected ; the first floor contains the offices and dining 
room, the second floor the school room, while the third 
story is used as a dormitory. In 1882 a building con- 
taining a gymnasium and workshops was added. Here 
the boys are taught the various trades, and help to run 
the extensive farm connected with the school. The 



20 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

history of the institution is darkened by a terrible 
calamity. In April, 1842, a large boat filled with the 
boys of the school, while on a pleasure trip down the 
harbor, was capsized by a sudden squall, and one hun- 
dred and twenty-three of the occupants were drowned. 

LONG ISLAND. 

Long Island is one and three fourths miles long and 
about one fourth mile wide, is situated about five miles 
from Boston, and one mile from Deer Island. It lies in 
a northeast and southwest direction, of undulating sur- 
face, and bare of trees except at the lighthouse and the 
hotel. On the northeast of the island is a hill about 
eighty feet high, with a bluff at its northern and eastern 
sides, which has been worn by the water, and is protected 
by a strong sea wall built by the government. From this 
hill the land gradually slopes down to a low pebbly 
beach ; then again rises to another hill ninety feet high, 
smooth and green, on whose northern side stands the 
large hotel, with numerous other buildings. From here, 
there is a series of hills varying in height, until the 
island terminates at its southwest end in a bare hill, 
fifty feet high, with steep sides. The island in early 
times was well wooded, and in 1634 was, as we have 
heretofore stated, deeded to Boston, with Deer, Spec- 
tacle, and Hog Islands for a rental of two shillings. 
Soon after, it was let to various persons, who made sad 
havoc with its forests. In 1639 the town divided it off 
to planters at a small rental, which was relinquished in 
1667. In 1689 the title became vested in John Nelson, 
of Boston, and thereafter passed through various hands 
till 1849, when it was acquired by the Long Island Im- 
provement Company, who built the hotel and wharf, 
and made several improvements, intending to make it 
an attractive summer resort. On the southern side of 
the beach, a cove makes in, forming a good harbor for 
small boats. During the present year — 1885 — the 



OF BOSTON HARBOR. 



21 




LONG ISLAND LIGHT. 



City of Boston has purchased the whole island, on 
which will be erected buildings for city purposes. 

In 1775 the island was raided by the Continental 
soldiers, who drove off all the cattle and seventeen 
British sailors. They were pursued by the EngHsh 
boats, but made good their escape to Squantum. 



22 



HISTORICAL SKETCH 



LONG ISLAND LIGHT. 

In 1819 a lighthouse was established on the northeast 
bluff by the United States government, and was refitted 
in 185 1. The present lighthouse is an iron tower, 
thirty-five feet high, painted white, with a lantern 
painted black. It is of the fourth order of Fresnel, and 
visible seventeen miles. During the Civil War the is- 
land was a rendezvous for soldiers. The Ninth Massa- 
chusetts Regiment was encamped here, and sailed 
June, 1 861, for Washington, D. C. 




NIX'S MATE. 

Passing outwards by Long Island Head, we see to 
our left the entrance of Broad Sound Channel, and to 
our right Nix's Mate, once an island, now reduced by 



OF BOSTON HARBOR. 23 

the action of the sea to a sandy shoal, dry at low 
water. Its northern point is marked by a beacon, a 
black octagonal wooden pyramid resting on Bell Buoy. 
a granite base. On either side is a black spar buoy, 
No. II, and the first-class black can buoy. No. 9, with 
an automatic bell buoy just inside of it. On the south- 
em or further end of this shoal is a red spar buoy, No. 
2, and a few yards off from it a black spar buoy, No. 3. 
These mark the channel which is used at high water 
by the Nantasket and Hingham steamers. We learn 
from an early record that this island in 1636 contained 
twelve acres of land, and was granted to John Gallop, 
and was used by his descendants as a pasturage for 
cattle up to the commencement of this century. The 
island was formerly used as a place for the execution 
of criminals. A somewhat apocryphal story is con- 
nected with the name of this island. About 1680 a 
pirate by the name of Capt. Nix lamded here, buried 
his treasure, and murdered his companion to keep his 
secret secure. Another version of this story was that 
Capt. Nix's mate was hung here for murdering his 
captain ; that he protested his innocence, saying that 
if the island was ever washed away it would prove his 
innocence. There was an execution here in 1726, 
fully described in the Boston News Letter of July 14 
of that year. 

RAINSFORD ISLAND. 

In looking down the channel, between Long Island 
and Nix's Mate, we see, some way down, Rainsford 
Island, by some called Hospital Island. It consists 
of two bluffs, connected by a narrow neck of land, and 
is the southern boundary of the entrance of the Western 
Channel, or Back Way. It is barren of trees, and on its 
northern bluff is erected a picturesque summer house. 
On the other side of the island are numerous buildings, 
used now as a home for paupers. Edward Rainsford, 



24 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

a prominent elder of the Old South Church, Boston, 
was its first settler (1636). He died on the island in 
1683. After his death it passed through several hands, 
and in 1837 it was bought by the government, and used 
as a site for a hospital, or pest-house, till 1852, when 
it was used for quarantine purposes. From the early 
records we learn that in 1677 a vessel with smallpox 
on board anchored in the Nantasket Roads, which are 
off this island, and persons from the surrounding towns, 
boarding the vessel, spread the infection throughout 
the colony, over one thousand persons dying. From 
that time may be dated the first establishment of quar- 
antine regulations. The highest bluff (that on the 
north) is known as Great Head (formerly Smallpox 
Point). In this bluff stands the old mansion house, 
built in 1 8 19, which was famous for many years as a 
summer resort, the superintendent's house, the old 
Dead House, and other buildings. It also has a 
wharf. The West Head, or other bluflf, has a long 
low building, called Fever Hospital, and the conspicu- 
ous building with columns is the Smallpox Hospital. 
On the southern part of the island is the old cemetery, 
containing old tombstones that mark the resting- 
places of many unfortunates. In former years Boston 
families sent their friends who were sick with conta- 
gious diseases to this island. In 1872 Boston bought 
the place, and converted it into an almshouse. After 
the Civil War the old veterans, or disabled soldiers, 
lived here until they were removed, in 1882, to their 
new home on Powderhorn Hill, Chelsea. 

QUARANTINE GROUNDS. 

This spot which we are now on, extending from the 
eastern side of Deer Island to the Ship Channel, is the 
water space known as the Quarantine Grounds. Here 
all vessels are required to come to anchor until they are 
visited by the port physician. The signal shown by 



OF BOSTON HARBOR. 25 

the vessels is a flag flown on the shrouds. The doc- 
tor has a steamer (always known by the yellow flag). 
If there is sickness on board, dangerous to the pubHc 
health, the vessels are obliged to remain a certain 
length of time to be sufficiently fumigated, and the 
sick unfortunates are carried to the hospital on the 
neijrhboring: island. 



't>' 



LOVELL'S ISLAND. 

After passing Nix's Mate we pass a red third class 
nun buoy. No. 8, on what is called Seventy-four Bar, — a 
shoal that makes out from Lovell's Island. This island 
we pass on our left ; it is three quarters of a mile long 
and one third of a mile wide, and is the flattest of any 
of the islands. A steep hill on the channel side is 
covered with grass, but the rest of the island is low, 
extending north, and making a point called Ram's Head. 
The island took its name, in 1630, from Captain William 
Lovell, of Dorchester, and it was noted in those early 
days for its immense amount of rabbits. Granted to 
Charlestown in 1648, and to Hull in 1654, it was sold in 
1767 to Elisha Leavitt, of Hingham. In 1825 Boston 
bought this island, together with George's Island, for 
$6,000 ; at the present time it is used by the United 
States as a lighthouse supply station. The United 
States government built a sea-wall along its northern 
side (Ram's Head), in 1840. In 1782 the Magnijique^ a 
French battle-ship, went ashore on this side and sank; 
it was reported that she had great treasures on board, 
and for many years people visited the site expecting to 
find the coveted loot. When the United States En- 
gineers were dredging in 1859, they came across large 
quantities of lead, copper, and even cannon balls, twenty 
feet below the surface. Since that time the place has 
always been called Man-of-War Bar. 



26 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

GALLOP'S ISLAND. 

Upon the other side of the channel is Gallop's Island. 
It has a high, barren bluff on one side, and the other 
(eastern) side is low and sandy. In 1650 it was owned 
by Captarn John Gallop, a pilot by profession, who had 
a farm here, a pasturage on Long Island, a sheep pas- 
ture on Nix's Mate, and a house in Boston. The soil 
was very fertile; and the island in early times was a noted 
supply place for ships. During the Revolutionary war, 
earthworks were erected on the bluff. In i860 the 
city of Boston bought it for $6,600, and during the 
late civil war it was used as a rendezvous for soldiers, 
and numerous barracks were built. Since 1867 the 
island has been used as a quarantine hospital ground. 
Two hospitals, a dwelling for the doctor, and several 
other buildings were built. In 1868 a sea wall was 
built by the United States government on its south 
side. It has a pier, at which is frequently seen the 
quarantine steamer flying the yellow flag. 

FORT WARREN. 

We now come to George's Island, the site of Fort 
Warren. It is three hundred and fifty yards wide, and 
about six hundred yards long, and contains thirty-five 
acres ; now it is wholly occupied by the fort. It is 
situated between the main ship channel on the north, 
and Nantasket Roads and Western or Back Way on 
the south, and guards the entrance to Boston Harbor. 
In the colonial days it was used by the merchants' and 
war ships as a rendezvous. In 1778 the first fortifi- 
cation, consisting of a large earthwork, was erected 
by Count D'Estaing, the French Admiral, which, 
from its formidable array, prevented the British fleet, 
with Earl Howe and Sir Henry Clinton, from com- 
ing into the harbor. In 1833 the United States began 
the present fort, which was not finished till 1850. 



OF BOSTON HARBOR. 2'J 

General Thayer, for many years the Superintendent of 
West Point, was the designer. In 1840 the sea wall 
was built. In 1861, through the exertions of our 
cherished war governor, John A. Andrew, it was 
heavily armed and garrisoned by the Boston militia. 
During the civil war it was occupied by many of the 
well-known regiments and the famous war song, "John 
Brown," was composed and sung by members of the 
24th regiment. Within the walls of this fort were 
imprisoned many noted men ; Mason and Slidell, and 
Alexander H. Stephens, Vice President of the Confede- 
rate States, among the number. In 1861-2 it had 
eight hundred Confederate prisoners. The walls of 
the fort are hammered granite with loop-holes for 
muskets. It has a moat fifty feet wide, and has 
outworks and water batteries. It is pentagonal in 
shape, with bastions at each angle, commanding the 
ditches, and encloses a space of five acres. The ma- 
sonry is of great thickness, and the casemates contain 
the barracks, magazine, hospital, mess-rooms, etc. The 
faces of the fort are masked behind ramparts of earth, 
into which shot may sink without doing harm. Oppo- 
site George's Island on the other side of the channel is 
the entrance of Black Rock Channel, that Black Rock 
takes its name from a rock in the middle Channel, 
of the channel, and leads into Broad Sound. 

BUG LIGHT. 

Making out from Lo veil's Island is a ledge of rocks 
called Whitney's Ledge. We now enter what is called 
the Narrows, so called frOm the narrowness of the 
channel here ; on our left is a curious lighthouse on 
seven stilts, called Bug Light, — a small house with 
a lantern in its centre, thirty-five feet from sea level. It 
shows a fixed red light visible twelve miles ; it also has 
a fog signal. This lighthouse was built in 1856, and is 
situated on a lonsf sand bar that makes out one mile 



28 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

from Great Brewster Island. Near this light is a gran- 
Spit Beacon, ite beacon called Spit Beacon, and further 
beyond is another beacon, granite, with a spindle and 
cage on top, p;iinted red, called False Spit Beacon, and 
marking the site of two rocks, since removed ; it also 
marks the limit of the Narrows. Opposite, and on the 
right of the channel, we pass two other buoys. The first, 
a black, thiid-class r.un buoy, No. 7, marks a ledge of 
rocks which makes off from George's Island. The 
other buoy, a second-class nun buoy. No. 5, marks a 
ledjje of rocks called Centurion Rocks, or the Centu- 
rion. These rocks are marked in the Western or 
Back Way Channel by a red nun buoy. No. 2, the 
northern side of the entra'-ce of Nantasket Roads. 

NANTASKET ROADS. 

W^e will now turn to our right, sail at a right angle 
with our former course, and approach the entrance to 
Hull or Hingham Bay. The channel which we will 
pass through is that l:>et\\een George's Island Rocks 
and the Centurion Rocks, and on the south of these 
rocks, marking the Back Cliannel. is the second-class 
red nun buoy No. 2, This channel is sometimes used 
by the Nantasket excursion steamers, but those most 
frequently used are those between Lonj; Island and 
Nix's Mate Beacon, and the one on the other 
side of George's Isl:ind (P'ort Warren) and Gallop's 
Island. After passing these rocks ((ieorge's Island 
and Centurion) we .sail directly across the Nantasket 
Roads, and pass the outer entrant e of Western or 
Back Way, and approach W ndrui'l Point, the west- 
ern extremity of Hull. The buoy we see on our left, 
just inside Hunt's Ledge, and nearer to the Hull shore, 
is Toddy Rocks (a second-class black nun buoy, No. i), 
marking the entrance of Western W^ay. A prominent 
Windmill object on Windmill Point is Hotel Pem- 
Point. berton, built some four years ago by the 



OF BOSTON HARBOR. 29 

railroad company. The piazzas of this house com- 
mand an animated water view, and have become a fa- 
vorite resort for excursionists. This point of Hull is 
separated from Pettick's Island by Hull Gut, marked 
by a bell buoy at entrance, — a strait only about five 
hundred feet wide, througli which the tide flows with 
great velocity, — so strong that it sometimes takes 
hours for a sailing vessel to make the passage. 

PETTICK'S ISLAND. 

Pettick's Island, sometimes called Paddock's Island, 
is two miles long, extending nearly to the Quincy shore, 
and forming: the western boundary of Hull or Hingham 
Bay. The island is bare of trees. Its surface is 
undulating. Named, over two hundred and fifty years 
ago, after Lemuel Paddock, a French trader, it was 
granted to Charlestovvn for twenty years in 1624, but, 
before the lease expired, Hull became its possessor. 
In 1775 a number of continental troops were stationed 
here to defend the entrance of Boston Harbor. Three 
years later, in 1778, the French Admiral, Count 
d'Estaing. landed here, and erected some forts. The 
only tenant of the island is Mr. Samuel Cleverly, a 
pilot ; and with this exception, not a human soul is 
allowed to encamp upon its land. Several futile 
attempts have been made to procure building lots here. 

HINGHAM BAY. 

Inside this Hull Gut a most beautiful bay opens to 
view, over three miles long and two miles wide, dotted 
at its upper part by numerous small islands, and land- 
locked on all sides. Its waters offer an unusual attrac- 
tion to yachtsmen. On the inside of Windmill Point 
are two long wharves, the first belonging to the Boston 
& Hingham Steamboat Co., and the other, at the foot 
of one of the hills of Hull, belongs to the Boston, 
Hingham, & Downer Landing Steamboat Co. On 



30 



HISTORICAL SKETCH 




HINGHAM BAY 



OF BOSTON HARBOR. 31 

this latter wharf is situated the handsome house of the 
Hull Yacht Club. This club, although the youngest in 
New England, having been incorporated in 1882, has 
shown the most activity of any organization, and now 
stands first in the United States, both as regards mem- 
bership and number of yachts. Its regattas every 
week of the summer make the bay the scene of intense 
excitement. 

The town of Hull is a popular summer resort for 
the inhabitants of Boston, and its many hills are 
thickly settled with many fine residences. Passing 
the hill of Hull, a cove makes in on the left to some 
distance. We notice here two spar buoys, buovs on 
one black, No. i, and one red, No. 2, mark- ^*^ Rocks. 
ing what is called the inner and outer Seal Rocks. 
This cove extends to Point Allerton, the head of Nan- 
tasket Beach. In range of this point we see a small 
island, called Hog Island. It is uninhabited, low, and 
surrounded by flats, dry at low water, and belongs to 
Hull. The whole shore on our left, as far as the eye 
can reach, is that famous beach, whose praises have 
been sung by all New England. Everything that the 
heart can long for is here, from the palatial hotel to the 
small shooting lodge, ocean bathing, and amusements 
of all kinds for young and old, while the invigorating 
breezes from old Neptune give new life to the hard 
toilers of the city and country. 

BUMKIN ISLAND. 

Proceeding on our course, we pass a black spar 
buoy. No. I, marking a shoal that makes off from Bum- 
kin Island just ahead of us. This little island is 
owned by Harvard College, which derives a small 
income from its pasturage. To our right is Sheep 
Island, nearly one mile from Bumkin Is- sheep 
land. It is a low island of only two acres, island. 



32 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

and is fast being washed away. After passing these 
islands we pass on our left a black spar buoy. No. 3, 
marking a rock in the channel called Channel Rock, 
and on our right a red spar buoy. No. 2, marking 
shoals. These buoys are at the entrance, on our left, 

Weir of Weir River, the passage for Nantasket 
River. steamers. It is a picturesque but small 
river, with well-wooded shores and winding channel. 
After approaching near the beach, the river extends 
back into the country ; a branch is used by the steam- 
ers for a landing on Nantasket beach. The entrance 
to Weir River is between two hills : on the left White 
Head, and on the right World's End, this latter joined 
by another called Planter's Hill. These hills, together 
with this shore, will be described later on, as well as 
other points, on which we at present touch but lightly. 
On our right, over half a mile distant, will be seen two 

Slate islands. The smaller, and one nearest us, 
Island, jg Slate Island, so called from its slate quar- 
ries, although not now much used. The whole shore 
is lined with beds of this stone. It is a small island, of 
about twelve acres, low, and has a few trees. A few 
years ago a hermit lived on the island, but at present 
it is uninhabited. Beyond this island is a much larger 
one called Grape Island, which guards the entrance of 
Weymouth Back River, and the eastern boundary of 
Weymouth Fore River. It is half a mile long, and 
has two hills on its northern side, and another on its 
southern. Like all the islands in this bay it is sur- 
rounded by extensive flats. At the present time, or 
till within a few years, its sole inhabitant was a weather- 
beaten old fisherman, who very rarely allowed any 
approach of a stranger. The high hill beyond this 
island is Hough's Neck, or Quincy Great Hill, which, 
with another small island at its foot, called Nut Island, 
will be described further on when we reach Quincj 
Bay. 



OF BOSTON HARBOR. 



33 



We now enter the harbor of Hingham ; Planter's Hill 
on our left, and on our right Crow's Point, formiro^ the 
boundaries of its entrance. 

Off Crow's Point, on the edge of a shoal Black Spar 
making off from the point, is a black spar ^o- 5. 
buoy, No. 5. At this point several small islands will 
be noticed. 

HINGHAM BAY. 

The first on the left is a low, rocky island called 
Chandler's Island. Hingham Harbor is about one 
mile long and about seven eighths of a mile wide. At 
low water it is nothing but a dry fiat with a narrow, ex- 
tremely crooked channel leading to the wharves in ihe 
town of Hinijham, At Crow's Point t'le steimers 
make a landing. By the munificence of Downer 
Samuel Downer, a Boston merchant, the ^-anding. 
once desolate shore is turned into a vast pleasure 
garden, called Downer Lnnding, visited by count- 
less throngs durins: the summer months. Connected 
with this garden are Ragged and Sailor islands, small 
and rocky. They afford a pleasant resting-place for 
the weary pleasure-seeker. Farther within the harbor 
lie two other small islands in the middle of the fla.s. 
Button Island, the larger, is only about one hundred 
feet in diameter ; the smaller is called Beacon Island, 
from the beacon erected upon it. 

Having made the exploration of Hingham Bay, we 
will retrace our steps to the Main Ship Channel, or, 
rather, to Nantasket Roads, where it joins the said 
channel. We have before spoken of the False Spit 
Beacon, Centurion Rocks, and Hunt's Ledge, and in 
passing out of the harbor the next mark we reach is 
red spar buoy. No. 6, which is situated Red Spar 
r>n a ledge of rocks called Nash's Rock. ^^' ®- 



34 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

THE BREWSTERS. 
The land on our left is Great Brewster Island, the 
largest of seven islands or ledges at the mouth of Bos- 
ton Harbor, all bearing the same name. It is said that 
all these once were one island. They derived their 
name, in 1621, from Elder Brewster, of the Plymouth 
Colony. Great Brewster, the innermost, contains 
twenty-five acres, and an immense spit or flat on the 
extremity of which is Narrows Lighthouse, or Bug 
Light, of which we have spoken elsewhere. It was 
bought by the City of Boston, in 1848, of Lemuel 
Brackett. The island is a high bluff, half washed or 
eaten away by the sea, has a sea wall built by the gov- 
ernment, and a stone wharf. On its summit stands a 
handsome dwelling, erected and owned by Benjamin 
Deane of Boston. The island is grassy, and, by the 
care of its tenant, presents many pleasing aspects. 

BOSTON LIGHT. 

Little Brewster, sometimes called Lighthouse Island, 
and, in early days, Beacon Island, was taken for 
its present purpose. As early as 1679 a beacon was 
erected. In 171 3 the government built the first light- 
house, and, in fact, it claims the honor of being the 
first lighthouse ever built in the United States. In 
1757 it was rebuilt at a cost of ;^2,385, 17^. S^d., and 
was maintained by a tax of one penny a ton on all 
vessels passing in or out. At the commencement of 
the Revolutionary War, the island was slightly forti- 
fied. We learn that in 1775 some Continental troops 
landed on Great Brewster and destroyed the light- 
house, and on another day of the same year a more 
serious attack was made ; the fort was stormed, 
many of the garrison were wounded, and cannon and 
soldiers were captured. The present lighthouse was 



OF BOSTON HARBOR. 




35 

! 






ry-/ 




BOSTON LIGHT. 



36 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

built in 1783, and is eighty-six feet high and onehundrea 
and eleven feet above sea level. It is a white revolving 
light, visible sixteen miles, and is classed as second of 
order, Fresnel. Connected with the light is a steam fog- 
horn, which in foggy weather gives blasts of seven sec- 
onds' duration at intervals of fifty-three seconds. The 
first keeper of this lighthouse v.-as George Worthlake, 
who was drowned off Noddle Island, and is the subject 
of the famous "Lighthouse Tragedy," a poem written 
Middle- by Benjamin Franklin. Middle Brewster 
Brewster, jg a high, rocky island of ten acres. Be- 
hind one of the cliffs is the summer residence of one of 
the well-known Boston lawyers, Augustus Russ. The 
passage between this island and the outer island is very 
dangerous, and is called the Flying Place. In a storm 
the roar of the sea is tremendous. Six hundred feet 
from this island is the Outer Brewster, a very rocky 
island, possessing a few acres of good soil. It has a 
spring of fresh water and a pond. In 1840 the islan^J 
was inhabited by three or four persons, and they had 
six head of cattle and fifty sheep. In 1861 a fisherman 
and his family lived there, and some little time later he 
was drowned, and his family left the island. The ap- 
proach to this island is fraught with danger, and no 
cove offers any shelter from the angry waves. Beyond 
the Outer Brewster are Tewksbury Rocks, and still 
further Martin's Ledge ; the former not buoyed, and 
- the latter has a red second-class nun buoy, No. 2. 
They have deep water around them, and are only dan- 
gerous to large vessels. 

SHAG ROCKS. 

The ledge of rocks outside of Boston Light, or Lit- 
tle Brewster, and south of Middle Brewster, are called 
Shag Rocks, a group of rocks, twenty or twenty-five 
feet above water, pretty bold, and extending some dis- 
tance. This is the scene of many shipwrecks. In 



OF BOSTON HARBOR. 



37 



i56i a ship was driven ashore, and soon after went 
to pieces ; thirteen of the crew were rescued b)' 
Hull fishermen after cHnging to the bare rocks for 
over twenty-four hours ; twenty-five others perished 
before succor arrived. Further beyond this ledge, 
and one third of a mile from Outer Brewster to the 
sea, is another ledge called Boston Ledge, a mass 
of rocks eleven feet below the surface of the water, 
marked by a red second-class nun buoy, No. 4. These 
islands and rocks separate the Main Ship Channel 
from Broad Sound Channel, and form the northern 
boundary of the entrance to the main channel, which is 
one and one eighth mile wide here ; directly opposite, on 
the other side of the channel, is a beacon, and second- 
class black nun buoy, No. 3, on a shoal Black Nun 
that makes out two hundred feet from the ^^' ^' 
shore. The first, is a pyramidical granite beacon, sur- 
mounted by an iron shaft with a black cone on top. 




[ Point Allerton from 
this view is a very 
conspicuous headland ; 
it is a bare hill one hundred and fifteen feet high, 
with steep sides which have been much washed by 
the sea. Its sides are now protected by a massive 
sea wall erected by the United States government. 

We now shape our course south, following the shore 
of Nantasket Beach. Two and a quarter miles sea- 
ward from Point Allerton, on our left, on this new 
course, is a ledge of rocks twenty-seven feet (four and 
one half fathoms) below the surface of the water, 



38 



HISTORICAL SKETCH 



which are called The Thieves, or Thieves' Ledge. 
Continuing on our present course, we pass a bell boat 
known as Harding's Bell Buoy (iron, with bell "weigh- 
ing five hundred pounds, twelve feet from level of sea, 
with the name of the ledge in white letters below it). 
The action of the waves swaying the boat tolls the 




HARDING'S LEDGE. 



bell. It is placed three hundred feet from the north 
point of an extensive ledge of rocks known as Hard- 
ing's Ledge, and formerly known as Conyhasset 
Rock. This ledge is three eighths of a mile square, 
and is half a mile from the main land, and a mile and 
an eighth from Thieves' Ledge. On its inside edge is an 
iron beacon thirty one and a half feet high, surmounted 



OF BOSTON HARBOR. 39 

by an iron ring or wheel, four feet in diameter, set 
horizontally with twelve wooden pendants, five feet 
long, attached to the rim, the whole being painted 
black. Between this ledge and the shore there is a 
passage, but only used for small vessels. The first hill 
we see rising from the beach on our right is Straw- 
berry Hill, a smooth green hill one hundred feet high, 
bare of trees. Next is a smaller hill forty-five feet 
high, called White Head, and further along is another 
called Sagamore Hill, eighty feet high and also tree- 
less. The coast from here makes out towards the sea. 
At the point where it leaves the beach is a prominent 
hill covered with fine summer residences and a large 
hotel called the Atlantic House. This hill is called 
Atlantic Hill, eighty to ninety feet high ; its shore is 
bold and rocky. Next comes Green Hill ; its aspect 
is similar to the last named, and is about fifty feet high. 
The two barren rocks that are now seen a little way 
from the shore are known as Black Rocks; on the 
larger of the two is a private shooting lodge. The 
fishing at this point is excellent, and in autumn there 
is sometimes good duck-shooting. The shore of the 
main land extends out to within a mile and a half of 
Minot's Light, then turns abruptly south to the harbor 
of Cohasset. The town of Cohasset comprises all the 
land east and south of Green Hill. On the northern 
shore of this point there formerly was a large cove, 
which was then used as the old harbor of Cohasset, 
but of late years a sandy beach has been formed across 
its entrance, and the new harbor is all that is used at 
present. 

MINOT'S LIGHT. 

We now approach a whole nest of rocks and sunken 
ledges ; on the outermost one, called Minot's Ledge, 
is built a noted lighthouse called Minot's Light, — a 
tall gray tower, built of granite, with bronze lantern. 




minot's light. 



OF BOSTON HARBOR. 4I 

one hundred feet above the sea, of the second order of 
Fresnel, with a fixed white light visible sixteen miles. 
For foggy weather a bell is struck by machinery. This 
present lighthouse was commenced July i, 1855, ^"^ 
was not finished until 1859. The work was one of 
much difiiculty owing to the constant action of the sea. 
The old lighthouse was built on stilts, and was washed 
away during the disastrous storm of April 15, 1851. 
The light is now kept by a relay of four men, two in a 
watch of two weeks. They are not allowed to go 
ashore, and delight in the occasional visits of excur- 
sionists. 

The collective name of the nest of rocks, of which 
4lIinot's Ledge is the outermost, is Cohasset Rocks. 
B -tween some of these ledges is a passage for vessels, 
called Gangway Passage, but as it is fraught with dan- 
ger it is seldom used. Eastward of Minot's Ledge is a 
second-class black nun buoy, No. i, marking a rock 
called Davis' Ledge ; there is no passage between it 
and Minot's. The shore from this point south has but 
little interest, so we will return to Boston Light, the 
entrance to Boston Harbor, proceed north, and re- 
turn to the city through Bro:id Sound. After pass- 
ing the outer Brewster Island, Tewksbury Rock, and 
Martin's Ledge, we see to our left a low grassy island 
clotted with a few trees, called Calf Island. Caif island. 
it seems to join the Middle Brewster, but is really five 
hundred feet distant from the Brewster, with a shoal 
passage. Formerly an excursion point, it is now sel- 
dom visited except by fishermen. A small distance to 
the eastward is a rock called Pope's Rock. Almost one 
hundred feet from this i-hnd, connected with a shoil, 
is another small rocky island called Little Calf Island. 
Still further beyond is Green Island, three eighths 
of a mile north of Little Calf Island ; it is of moderate 
height, with a white rock on its eastern side, with a 
small area of grass, and a long gravelly point south, 



42 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

from which extends a line of small rocks for three 
hundred and fifty yards. 

Between Green Island and Little Calf Island lies 
Hypocrite Channel. It has many sunken ledges, not 
buoyed, and is seldom used except by small vessels. 
It is the most direct outlet for the Black Rock Chan- 
nel between Lovell's Island and Narrows lighthouse, 
and sometimes is used to lessen the distance in en- 
tering Broad Sound Channel. The ledges in Hypo- 
crite Channel will be described after we enter Broad 
Sound. About seven hundred yards to the eastward 
(seaward) from Green Island are a number of small 
Roaring rocks, some bare at low water, called the 

Bulls. Roaring Bulls, sometimes called Sunken 
Rocks, they taking their name from the roar the waves 
make in rushing and breaking over their surface. A 
passage exists between them and Green Island. A 
considerable way out to sea, from this point, lies a very 
dangerous ledge of bare rocks, six hundred yards in 
The Graves, length, called the Graves, after Thomas 
Graves, Vice- Admiral of Winthrop's fleet, a noted en- 
gineer and sailing-master, who planned the first settle- 
ment of Charlestown. Four hundred and fifty yards 
northeast from these rocks is Northeast Grave, a small 
but dangerous rock, exposed only at low water. It is 
Whistling marked by a whistling buoy, an automatic 

Buoy. whistle placed upon a nun buoy, which, 
by the action of the waves, produces a most dismal 
sound. The buoy is placed some four hundred yards 
from the rock. 

BROAD SOUND. 

We will now enter Broad Sound, passing the Graves 
on our right hand and the Roaring Bulls to the left. 
The rocky peninsula of Nahant looms up in the north, 
with the adjacent city and harbor of Lynn. The fur- 
ther shore comprises Revere Beach and Winthrop, 



OF BOSTON HARBOR. 43 

with Deer Island near by. When abreast of Green 
Island, about one fourth of a mile this side (north), is 
a detached rock, eighteen feet below the surface, called 
Maffit's Ledge : it is not buoyed. A quarter of a mile 
past this ledge is another detached rock, fifteen feet 
below the surface, not buoyed, and called Commis- 
sioners' Ledge. Between these two ledges, some little 
distance off. and beyond Green Island can be seen a 
red spar buoy, No. 2. This marks a ledge Red Spar 
of rocks directly in the middle of Hypocrite ^^- '^' 
Channel, which enters between Calf and Green islands. 
These rocks are called Half Tide Rocks, and are par- 
ticularly dangerous, having only two feet of water over 
them. Beyond Commissioners' Ledge we pass Devil's 
Back, a ledge of rocks nearly five hundred feet long and 
extremely dangerous, some being bare at low water. 
They are marked by a black first-class nun Black Nun 
buoy. No. I. Still further beyond this ledge ^^' ^' 
is another, called Alderidge's Ledge, and is marked by 
a black second-class nun buoy. No. 3. This ledge 
separates Hypocrite from Broad Sound Channel. Be- 
tween this ledge and Half Tide Rocks is a series of 
shoals, one of which is called Twelve-Foot Rock, so 
named on account of the depth of water. From this 
point we look towards the left, and see, beyond, the 
back side (northern) of Brewster islands, and the long 
spit running off from the Great Brewster, with Bug 
Light at its end. We now approach the extensive 
shoal making off from Lovell's Island, on which the 
French frigate Magnifique, was wrecked. On its 
cuter end, called Ram's Head, is placed a black second- 
class nun buoy, No. 5. On the opposite side of Broad 
Sound Channel is Deer Island. On the shoals extend- 
ing out from the island are placed two red buoys and 
a beacon. The innermost one is on the shoal called 
Little Fawn Bar, a red second-class KedNung, 
nun buoy, No. 4. The outermost bar is •^***' * * ^- 



44 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

called Great Fawn Bar. On the outer edge is placed 
a red second-class nun buoy, No. 2. Two thirds 
of a mile inside this buoy is placed a red conical bea- 
con of stone, with an iron spindle and cage on top. A 
channel passes over this shoal between the be:icon 
and buoy, which is called the North Channel of Broad 
Sound, while the channel which we have used is called 
the South Channel. 

We are now on the Quarantine Grounds, hitherto 
described. Broad Sound here joins the Main Ship 
Channel between Deer Island and Long Island. 
Having described this channel elsewhere, we will 
pass through the North Channel of Broad Sound, 
over the shoals of Great Fawn Bar, and approach Win- 
throp Great Head. Here a shoal makes out from the 
main land, and its outer edge is marked by a red spar 
buoy, No. 2. It is also the northern boundary of the 
entrance to Shirley Gut Channel, a channel but seldom 
used, on account of the swift currents, and then only by 
steamers of light draught. Entering this channel, and* 
sailing towards the city of Boston, w'e approach the 
Black Spar Shirley Shore, and see ahead of us a black 
No. 1. spar buoy, No. i, on a shoal that makes 
out from Deer Island. The channel here is very 
narrow and crooked, only about fifty feet wide, and 
makes a sharp turn at right angles. The current 
is very strong ; only a steamer or a yacht with a 
stronpf wind can stem it. The land on either side is 
pebbly and on the Shirley shore, close to the water, is 
the ever famous hostelry kept by O. A. Taft, whose 
bird and fish dinners have a national reputation. After 
passing out of this Shirley Gut, a broad expanse of 
shoals meets our view, the same that we saw when first 
embarking on our steamer. Those on our left are 
Deer Island shoals. Those on our right are Apple 
Island shoals, with the island of the same name in the 
centre ; and further beyond, to our right, are the exten- 



OF BOSTON HARBOR. 45 

sive shoals making off from East Boston, called Nod- 
dle's Island shoals. On this end of Apple Island 
shoals, between them and Deer Island shoals, is placed 
a red spar buoy. No. 6. Here, at this point, this 
channel joins that of Governor's Island Channel, where 
it has its entrance from the Main Ship Channel. 

GOVERNOR'S ISLAND CHANNEL. 

Governor's Island Channel is not much used, partic- 
ularly at this entrance, but at its other entrance it is 
occasionally made use of by the excursion steamer 
that plies between 'Winthrop and Boston. The en- 
trance of the channel with Main Ship Channel is marked 
by two red spar buoys, Nos. 2 and 4, situated upon a 
shoal in the middle of the channel's entrance, called 
the Middle Ground (different from the Lower Middle of 
the Ship Channel). This divides the channel into two 
entrances, the western one being the only one buoyed. 
On the other side of this western entrance are the ex- 
tensive shoals making out from Governor's Island. 
Their extreme point is marked by a black spar buoy, 
No. I. Leaving the entrance of Shirley Gut Channel, 
we follow Governor's Island Channel between the 
shoals — Apple Island on our right, and Governor's 
Island on our left — until we reach, on Red Spar 
our right, red spar buoy No. 8, on the ^^- ^• 
western spit of the first-named shoal. On our left, some 
little distance beyond, is a black spar buoy. No. 3, 
marking the northern point of Governor's Island shoal. 
Here the channel begins to bend, and ahead of us, on 
Noddle's Island shoal, is a red spar buoy No. 10. The 
flats on our left, extending from Governor's Island, are 
called Glade Flats ; on the northern part Glade 
of these is a black spar buoy, No 5. Our Flats. 
course from here is directly to the Main Ship Chan- 
nel in the inner harbor, which is marked by the red 



46 HISTORICAL SKETCIi 

beacon or spindle, and red spar buoy No. 12 on 
Black Spar our right, on Bird Island shoal, and on 
No. 7. Q^J^Y left by black spar buoy, No 7, on 
Governor's Island western shoal. 



DORCHESTER BAY. 

We have now reached our starting point, after hav- 
ing made a survey of all the islands and shoals of the 
Main Ship Channel and the minor channels adjoining. 
Three other passages alone remain to be visited, viz. 
Dorchester Bay, Quincy Bay, and Lynn Harbor. We 
will first visit Dorchester Bay. Passing once more be- 
tween Governor's and Castle islands, we turn to our 
right, and proceed through the Ship Channel towards 
Neponset River. The entrance to this bay lies between 
Castle and Spectacle islands. The bay itself is quite 
large, and contains extensive flats, through which the 
narrow channel runs close to the shore of Thompson's 
Island and Squantum, to the mouth of Neponset River. 
The main land boundary is the whole of Dorchester, 
extending from South Boston, formerly Dorchester 
Heights, where it almost reaches Fort Independence, 
to the extreme southern portion known as Squantum, 
— the special districts being Cow Pasture, Savin Hill, 
Harrison Square or Commercial Point, and Neponset, 
with the high land of Mount Bowdoin and Meeting- 
House Hill forming the background. This bay, on 
any summer afternoon, is a resort for many of the trim 
little yachts belonging to Boston and Dorchester. 
The first mark which we reach after entering the 
Old Harbor channel is red spar buoy No. 2, situated 

Shoals. QQ ti^g outer edge of an extensive shoal 
called Old Harbor Shoals, which makes out from South 
Boston and Cow Pasture Point. All these shoals 
comprise what was once the Old Harbor of the first 
settlement of Dorchester. Off from the further end 



OF BOSTON HARBOR. 47 

of Thompson's Island (which we pass to our left), upon 
a short shoal, is black spar buoy No. i, and on the 
opposite side of the channel is a red spar buoy, No. 
4, and, further along, another red spar buoy. No. 6, 
marking a portion of the shoals of Old Harbor and 
Cow Pasture. On our left we see abreast of us the 
high bluff of the Squantum peninsula, now belong- 
ing to the town of Quincy. From the channel to this 
basin is one vast shoal. Under the bottom of the bay 
lies the tunnel of the new sewerage sys- sewer 
tern of the city of Boston, which extends Tunnel. 
from Cow Pasture Point, where the Pumping Station 
is situated, to Moon Island, just the other side of 
Squantum. Our course is now close to Savin Hill. 
Here we note a black spar buoy, No. 3, on our left, 
marking Farm Point Shoals. Here the channel makes 
an abrupt turn to Commercial Point. On the left of 
the channel at this point is a rock bare at low water, 
called Half Tide Rock. The mouth of Neponset River 
is bounded on the north by Commercial Point, and on 
the south by Farm Meadows. The river is navigable 
to the village of Neponset, one mile from its mouth, 
and is supplied with five spar buoys, marking Tilston's 
Flats, Chatman's Flats, Minot's Point Flats, Wood's 
Point Flats, and Seal Rock. 

We will now retrace our course to the head of 
Thompson's Island and enter the channel called West- 
ern or Back Way, its entrance being between this 
island on our right and Spectacle Island on our left. 
This channel is often used by vessels to escape the 
strong current of the Main Ship Channel. On our 
right, extensive shoals make out nearly three quarters 
of a mile from Thompson's Island. Abreast of their 
easternmost point, and on the right of the channel, a 
ledge of rocks, called Sculpin Ledge, is marked by a 
red spar buoy, No. 2. These are in the channel of the 
lame name, which follows the shore of Long Island 



48 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

until it enters Main Ship Channel. Our course is now 
between Long Island on our left, and Moon Island on 
our right. This island is three quarters of a mile long, 
with a high hill or bluff on this side of it, bare of trees. 
The rest of the island is low, terminating in a spit or 
bar reaching to the peninsula of Squantum. The build- 
ings or masonry we see are the outlet and reservoir of 
the Boston sewerage system. On the further side of 
Moon Island, close to the peninsula, is a very small, 
low island, hardly ever recognized. We have now- 
entered the waters of Quincy Bay, but, before mention- 
ing this bay, we will continue following the Western or 
Back Way. This Western passage now turns abruptly 
to the north, between Long Island on the left and 
Rainsford Island on the right, then turns again, leav- 
ing Nix's Mate passage and George's Island on the 
left. Nantasket Roads are now entered, and the course 
is a straight one, being the same as taken before, after 
leaving Hingham Bay for the trip to Minot's Light. 

QUINCY BAY. 

Quincy Bay is very large and somewhat shallow, two 
and a half miles wide and one mile long. It is 
bounded on the east by Pettick's Island and Hough's 
Neck, south by the shore of Quincy, and on the west 
by Squantum and Thompson's Island. South of 
Rainsford Island, and in this bay, is the extensive ledge, 
partly bare at low water, called Quarantine Rocks, 
which makes out five eighths of a mile south from the 
shore of this island, and, not being buoyed, forms a dan- 
gerous obstacle, particularly to small boats or yachts. 
Further beyond, and to the south, is a ledge of rocks. 

Sunken ^^V ^^ ^°^ water, called Sunken Island, 
Island or Sunken Ledge. It is marked by an 

Beacon, open-work beacon with granite base, sur- 
mounted with a wooden staff and cage painted black. 



OF BOSTON HARBOR. 49 

A little to the westward and south of this island is 
another dangerous ledge of rocks, called Hangman's 
Island ; so named, it is said, from an execution that 
took place upon the island before it was washed away. 
The island is now only seven feet out of water and 
surrounded by dangerous shoals. After passing Sunk- 
en Island we pass a red spar buoy, No. 4, on our right, 
marking Wreck Rock, a dangerous sunken ledge, three 
feet below the surface. It takes its name from being 
the site of a wreck, the timbers of which remained 
visible for many years. We are now abreast of the 
high bluff called Prince's Head, connected prince's 
with the lower end of Pettick's Island by Head, 
a spit or sand bar covered at high water. Opposite this 
head is Pig Rock Beacon, a wooden staff and cage 
painted black, on a granite base. It marks a dangerous 
rock lying on the edge of a flat in Hingham Bay, called 
Ouincy Great Hill Flats. Ouincy Great Hill is the high 
bluff at the end of the peninsula, called Hough's Neck, 
which forms the boundary of Quincy Bay, and belongs 
to the town of Quincy. Off the Hingham side of this 
peninsula, and connected with it at low water, is a 
small island called Raccoon Island. Op- Raccoon 
posite this island is a ledge of rocks called island. 
Jack-knife Ledge, both being at the mouth of Wey- 
mouth Fore River. Situated on the flats at the foot of 
Quincy Great Hill, and connected with 

. T . 1 XT T 1 1 ^^* Island. 

the bluff at low water, is Little Nut Island. 
It is treeless, with a hill sixty feet high, and was, up 
to within three years, the station of the United States 
government for the testing of heavy ordinance, which 
was aimed at a heavy target placed upon the bluff 
of Prince's Head. Upon the flats, close to the 
Quincy shore, is Half Moon Island, a crescent-shaped, 
sandy shoal or bank, ten feet out at low water, and 
covered at high water. 



so 



HISTORICAL SKETCH 



LYNN HARBOR. 
Havinof now finished all the harbor oi Boston, we 
will visit the harbor of Lynn, situated on the extreme 
northeastern point of Boston Bay. It is also on the 
north side of Broad Sound. The entrance is between 
West or Bass Point of the Nahant peninsula, and 
Chelsea or Revere Beach. It is full of rocks and 
shoals. Its channel is narrow, extending for the most 
part close to the shore of Lynn Beach or Nahant 
Peninsula. This peninsula is a long tongue of land 
extending some distance into the bay ; its shores are 
very bold and rocky. Off Nahant Head, its outermost 
point, are several ledges of rocks, not buoyed, one of 
which is called Great Ledge. The western edge of the 
head is marked by a rocky islet, one hundred and fifty 
yards distant, called Pea Island, no passage between. 
Outside of this island is a group of dry rocks called 
Shag Rocks. These are not buoyed, A passage can 
be made between them and the island. On passing 
the western side of Nahant Head, we pass a sunken 
rock, three feet below water, called Joe Beach's Ledge, 
three hundred and fifty yards from Pea Island. It is 
marked by black spar buoy No. i. To the left of 
this ledge is another, called Bass Rock, or Old Sunken 
Rock. It is bare at half tide, and marked by a red 
iron spindle with cage on top. Between this rock and 
the shore is a ledge of rocks called Bayley's Ledge, 
not buoyed. Beyond is Bass Point, the boundary 
of entrance to Lynn Harbor. Off the shore, some 
way up the harbor, beyond the point and off the west 
cHff, is a rock, dry at low water, called Old Harry's 
Rock. Abreast of it is a ledge called Lobster Rocks, 
bare at low water and surrounded by extensive shoals. 
This ledge is marked by a red spar buoy No. 2, and 
separates the channel into two, the east and west 
channels. The western channel is the most used. In 



OF BOSTON HARBOR. SI 

piv/ceeding up this channel we pass a red and black 
spar buoy with two prongs. It marks a number of 
rocks almost visible at low water, called White Rocks. 
Further up the channel we pass another red spar 
buoy, No. 4, marking a series of rocks, sometimes bare 
at extreme tides, called Black Rocks. These rocks 
are situated at the junction of the east and west chan- 
nels. We now pass a dry flat upon our right, which 
separates the Lynn Channel from the Saugus River 
Channel. The shoal which makes out from this flat 
is called Forked Point Shoal, and sometimes Sandy 
Point. It is marked by a black spar buoy. No. 3. 
The last buoy in the channel is black spar buoy No. 5, 
marking Black Marsh. The shores of Lynn Harbor 
are low and marshy. Extensive flats make out in all 
directions, thereby making the entrance particularly 
difficult. 

Having seen and described all the islands in and 
around Boston Harbor, we now will give a general 
description of the harbor itself. 



BOSTON BAY. 

The earliest accounts of explorations of this region 
that we have are semi-mythical traditions of Norse 
discovery. 

This name has been given to the indentation lying 
between the headlands of Nahant on the north, and 
Point AUerton on the south. It is eleven miles wide, 
and extends inland for nearly seven and a half miles, 
and comprises the harbors of Boston, Dorchester, 
Quincy, Hingham, and Lynn. 

BOSTON HARBOR 

comprises all the water lying inside or west of the 
headlands of Deer Island on the north, and Point 



5* HISTORICAL SKETCH 

Allerton on the south ; it is three and three quarters 
miles wide at its widest part, and its surface is dotted 
with numerous islands, through or around which there 
are many channels, which have been heretofore men- 
tioned. This harbor is sometimes subdivided into 
Upper, Middle and Lower harbors, — Upper Harbor 
lying inside of Governor's and Castle Islands ; Mid- 
dle Harbor between those islands and the Narrows ; and 
the Lower, or Outer Harbor, all beyond the Narrows. 

The first explorers of the harbor are supposed to 
have been French fishermen from Acadia, who fre- 
quently visited it in the early part of the seventeenth 
century, for the valuable fishing and for the lucrative 
trade in furs with the Indians. As early as 1617 a 
French trading vessel was attacked and burned by 
the Indians, while at anchor off Pettick's Island, and, 
years after, French coin was dug up at Dorchester, 
bearing these early dates. 

The first explorer of the harbor known to history 
was Captain John Smith, in 1614, but he, it is said, 
did not come inside of Point Allerton. The title rests 
with Miles Standish, of the Plymouth Colony, Sept. 
29, 1624, he, with a small party, sailed from Plymouth 
in an open boat, on a mission to establish friendly 
relations with the Massachusetts Indians. They en- 
tered the harbor and anchored, the first night, off what is 
now known as Thompson's Island (some historians give 
Point Allerton as their place of anchorage), the next 
day they visited the main land in search of the Indian 
chief, landing at the mouth of what is now Neponset 
River. They were told that the chief was at Mystic 
(Medford) ; they crossed the harbor, and landed at 
what is now Charlestown, where they anchored. On 
the next day they went in search of the chief, travel- 
ling in the interior as far as Medford. They were un- 
successful and returned to their boat and sailed the 
next day for home. 



OF BOSTON HARBOR. 53 

The settlements around the harbor in the few next 
years were many. In 1630 Boston was settled by 
Governor John Winthrop, and from this time the 
events clustered around its waters are full of interest, 
and will be touched upon further on. 

Boston Harbor, for commerce, is one of the best in 
the world, land-locked, interspersed with numerous 
islands, commodious, and with deep channels sufficient 
for the largest vessel. In time of war its defences 
would be almost impregnable, guarded at its mouth by 
high lands and a well and strongly built fortress. For 
beauty it cannot be excelled. Its many verdure-clad 
islands, its waters dotted by all kinds of sailing-craft, 
from the smallest yacht to the majestic ocean steamer, 
the whole surrounded by noble hills, unite to make a 
scene of surpassing interest and loveliness. 



RAMBLES ALONG THE SHORES. 

Starting from the northeastern point of Boston Bay, 
or, rather, from the main land just north of this point, 
we find the long peninsula of Nahant. This penin- 
sula is composed of two unequal parts, called Nahant 
and Little Nahant, joined by a narrow strip of beach. 
The whole peninsula joins the main land by a sandy 
beach, called Lynn Beach, one and a quarter miles 
long. Little Nahant, the inner part of the peninsula, 
is a rocky bluff, eighty feet high. The beach connect- 
ing this bluff with the outer peninsula is half a mile 
long, and barely wide enough for the road extending 
along its surface. Nahant proper lies in an east and 
west direction, is high and rocky, with a high blufT on 
its eastern side, known as Eastern Point. Nahant 
has always been a favorite sea-shore residence for 
many of the wealthy families of Boston. Its fine loca- 
tion and grand sea view cannot be surpassed. Seven 



54 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

eighths of a mile eastward of Eastern Point is a sntiaii, 
rocky island called Egg Rock, sixty feet high, sur- 
rounded by deep water, and surmounted by a lighthouse. 
Leaving Eastern Point, the shore runs in to the north- 
west, forming a cove called Nahant Harbor, its other 
boundary being a hill called Bailey's Hill. From here 
the shore runs in a westwardly direction to a point called 
Bass Point, low lands, with high ground back of it. 
The land between these two points is occupied as a 
camping ground for parties from the interior towns. 
From Bass Point we come to a bluif called the West 
Cliffs ; its shore is steep and rocky. Thence the shore 
runs north, by Little Nahant and Lynn Beach, on to 
the main land, where is situated the city of Lynn. At 
the point where Nahant joins the main land, the Lynn 
Yacht Club has its club house, and at anchor in the 
bay lie the yachts of its fleet. This organization is one 
of the oldest in New England. At the present time it 
has a membership of seventy-five, and a fleet of twenty- 
five yachts. Nahant, originally called Pye Bay, and 
by the Indians Mean's Island, belonged to the Indians 
many years after Salem and Lynn were settled. It 
was purchased in 1630 from the Indians, by a farmer 
called Thomas Dexter, for a suit of clothes, but there 
being some question about the purchase, it was again 
sold for two pestle-stones. Well wooded in early times, 
the peninsula was divided up in 1656, and each owner 
was required, under penalty, to clear his share. It 
then served for many years as a pasturage to the near- 
lying towns. Joining Nahant, with a narrow neck of 
beach, one and a half miles long, is the city of Lynn, 
ten miles from Boston. It formerly comprised a vast 
territory, composed of small settlements, which grew to 
be towns and took upon themselves their own govern- 
ment. At the close of the Revolutionary War, Lynn 
town possessed two thousand inhabitants, comprised 
within the districts of Lynn, Lynnfield, Saugus, 



OF BOSTON HARBOR. 55 

Swampscott, and Nahant. Lynn was first settled in 
June, 1629, by parties from the settlement at Salem ; 
it was called Saugust. By act of the General Court 
of 1637, given at the time Boston and other towns 
were named, the name was changed by this simphe 
wording: "Saugust is Lin." It is supposed that the 
name was derived from Lynn Regis, in England, the 
birth-place of Samuel Whiting, one of its early minis- 
ters of the gospel. This settlement boasts as having 
among its early settlers the ancestors of the late Theo- 
dore Parker the theologian, and George Bancroft the 
historian. It also had amon^ its number Daniel Howe, 
the first lieutenant of the Ancient and Honorable Ar- 
tillery Company, of Boston, that was organized in 1638. 

In 1643, iron works were erected upon the banks of 
the Saugus River, claimed by some to be the first ever 
built in America. It was here that the first coins of 
America were minted, and the first scythe and the first 
fire-engine made. In 1646 Lynn was the market town 
of the district. Here the farmers brought their pro- 
duce and exchanged it for the products of the sea. 

In 1750 John Adam Dagyr, a Welsh shoemaker, 
settled here, and through his energy he became known 
as the celebrated shoemaker of Essex, and gave the 
town the prestige that it still holds to-day. According to 
the Boston Gazette of 1764, the shoes manufactured 
here exceeded those imported, in strength and beauty. 
This industry received another impetus, after the Revo- 
lution, in the person of Ebenezer Breed, who introduced 
the use of morocco. It seems strange that both these 
men, who might be called the fathers of the shoe indus- 
try in America, died in poverty at the almshouse. 
Lynnfield was set off in 1814, Saugus followed in 1815, 
Swampscott in 1852, and Nahant in 1853. Lynn was 
made a city May 14, 1850. Many parts of Lynn have 
high ground, possessing fine and picturesque scenery, 
— Pirate's Glen^ Dungeon Rock, and High Rock, the 



56 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

latter one hundred and seventy feet high. Here, about 
these hills, dwelt, in the early part of this century, 
the world-famous fortune-teller, Moll Pitcher ; her real 
name was Mary Diamond. A person of very little 
education, she possessed a keen perception and reflec- 
tive qualities. She died April, 1813, aged seventy-five 
years. Lynn, at the present time, is a flourishing, well- 
populated city, given to the manufacture of shoes, 
principally. Passing along the water front of the city 
of Lynn, with its wharves, we come to the low, marshy 
shores of West Lynn. Here is located the West 
Lynn yacht club, much smaller than its neighbor, and 
very much younger. The shore, low and marshy, 
now runs in a very irregular way, in a southwest direc- 
tion, to the mouth of Saugus River. On the opposite 
side of its mouth is the summer resort called the Point 
of Pines. It has numerous trees, extensive and well- 
cultivated gardens, two tasteful hotels, a beautiful 
beach, and amusements of all kinds to attract the sum- 
mer visitor or occasional excursionist. Point of Pines 
is situated at the end of Revere Beach, in the town of 
Revere, — considered, by many, the finest beach around 
Boston. The narrow gauge railroad traverses its 
whole length, and, within a few years, numerous small 
hotels have been erected on its shores. It is two 
miles long, and its hard, smooth sand is particularly 
adapted for carriages and horses. At the southwest 
end of Revere Beach, the shore makes an abrupt 
turn, is high land, and terminates in a point. There 
has been built, within three years, a long pier or wharf, 
called Ocean Pier, to which a hne of excursion steam- 
ers has been run from Boston. On this pier has been 
built a large pavilion, where roller-skating, dancing, 
and concerts attract many excursionists. From this 
point the shore runs to another headland, called Gro- 
ver's Cliff, a hill one hundred feet high, and containing 
nearly one hundred and eighty acres. The shore 



OF BOSTON HARBOR. 57 

between these two points or headlands is called Cres- 
cent Beach, and the highlands are laid out into quite 
an extensive settlement, called Beachmont. The 
shore now recedes to another point or headland, called 
Winthrop Great Head, and thence to Deer Island, 
or Shirley Gut. This peninsula is half a mile long 
and about a fifth of a mile wide, one hundred feet 
high, bare of trees. The headland has a precipitous 
face or bluff. On the eastern side of this head is a 
hard, sandy beach, which, within the past five years, 
has become a favorite summer residence of Boston 
people. Here a good sized village, named Ocean 
Spray, has been laid out. Its streets are hned with 
many pretty cottages and two commodious hotels. 
Point Shirley is separated from Deer Island by Shirley 
Gut, the narrow strait with swift current hitherto de- 
scribed. 

The shore from the Gut runs northwest and north, 
then makes a sharp turn to the southeast and north- 
east toward Winthrop Great Head. About the middle 
of the eighteenth century a short-lived attempt to 
establish a fishing town here was made, and the experi- 
ment inaugurated with great eclat, the Governor and 
many of the prominent citizens of Boston being present; 
but, from the repute the place acquired from such an 
opening, it soon became a favorite summer resort, and 
it was given its present name, Point Shirley, in 1753, 
in honor of Governor Shirley. In early times the 
point was covered with trees. In 1776, off its shores, 
was fought a deadly fight between boats of the British 
fleet and two Continental privateers. In 181 2 a fort 
was built on the hill to guard the entrance of the Gut, 
and later, salt and copper works were established. The 
remains of the buildings and wharf are still standing at 
the present time. The low lands of the point are now 
occupied by the Point Shirley House, familiarly known 
as " Taft's." Its genial proprietor has catered for over 



58 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

twenty-five years at this point, and his game and hsh 
dinners are known all over the world. On the westera 
side of the narrow neck of land connecting Point Shir- 
ley with Great Head, is situated the Great Head Yacht 
Club, an organization only formed in 1884, but possess- 
ing the energy to make it a club of importance. We 
now come to the town, itself, of Winthrop. Althougis 
the name Winthrop applies to nine hundred and eighty- 
nine acres of land, with eight miles of beach, this por- 
tion is the head and centre. Of its early history but 
little is known. Tradition connects it with being the 
place where some of the treasure of Captain Kidd was 
buried. During the siege of Boston it was the resi- 
dence of many refugees from the city. Many old resi- 
dences remained standing until within a few years. 
The old Deane Winthrop's house, near Ocean Spray, 
was built in 1649. Winthrop forms the northern 
boundary of the inner harbor of Boston. The shore 
now takes on to Breed's Island, now part of Boston, 
It seems a part of the main land, but it is separated by 
an arm of the harbor, narrow as a creek, which makes 
in on its southeast, east, and northeast side, and on the 
north-northwest by Chelsea River. This island was 
called, originally, Susanna Island, from the daughter 
of Sir William Brereton, early mentioned in the history 
of East Boston. In 1800 John Breed, an Enghshman, 
bought the island, built a dwelling two hundred feet 
long and one story high, and resided here for many 
years as a hermit. From Breed's Island we come to 
East Boston, otherwise Ward One of the city of Boston, 
passing by the new East Boston park, opened only this 
year, and the new settlements of Wood's Isles and Har- 
bor View, built upon the two points of the land. This 
is an island similar to Breed's Island. The part that 
joins Breed's Island is very low, flat, and marshy, 
excepting the bluffs on which the previous named 
settlements are located. It is bounded on the other 



OF BOSTON HARBOR. 59 

side by Chelsea River, separating it from the city 
of Chelsea. The other parts of the island are 
higher ground, terminating on the north and south in 
high hills. The whole western side, which faces 
Boston proper, is lined with fine wharves, covered 
with a grain elevator and warehouses for storage, and 
traversed by the tracks of the various railroads, by 
which freight, direct from the far west, is dehvered to 
the vessels at the docks. This island was known as 
Brereton Island in 1628, from Sir William Brereton, to 
whom it was granted by John Gorges. In 1629 it was 
called Noddle's Island by the early settlers, after Wil- 
liam Noddle, a bachelor, who, it is said, first occupied 
it as a habitant. In 1629 the island was occupied by 
William Maverick, a refugee from the Dorchester 
colony. The name has been cherished, and some of 
the public buildings bear his name to this day. In 
1633 the General Court granted the whole island to 
Maverick for the yearly payment of a " fat wether, a 
fat hog, or forty shiUings," to be paid the government. 
Maverick, like his neighbor, Thomas Walford, of 
Charlestown, had strong Episcopal opinions. This 
being disliked by the other residents, he was forced to go 
to New Amsterdam, where he afterwards lived and died. 
During the siege of Boston, in early Revolutionary days, 
it served as a refuge for the inhabitants of Boston. At 
this time the island possessed a great number of horses 
and cattle, which being coveted by the British soldiers, 
caused the second battle of the Revolution, and the 
first where American artillery was brought into play. 
In 1780, barracks were built for a hospital for the 
sick of the French fleet, and about this time the island 
was fortified. They continued to be used until 1833, 
when they were allowed to drop into decay. In this 
latter year, it is said, the island possessed but eight 
inhabitants ; but two years later the records report 
over six hundred. East Boston, outside of its freight- 



6o HISTORICAL SKETCH 

ing facilities, is a manufacturing town. Here, in days 
before iron was so extensively used, it led the world in 
the building of clipper ships, whose fast sailing was the 
wonder of the age. Some remains of this industry are 
visible at the present day. East Boston was, until re- 
cently, the sole landing-place for the European steamers; 
but the building of the extensive docks on the South 
Boston flats has given her a rival. The extreme 
southwestern point of the island is called Jeffries' Point; 
here is situated the Jeffries Point Yacht Club. The 
island is reached from Boston by three ferries. 

At the upper end of the inner harbor of Boston 
beyond East' Boston, and lying at the junc- 
tion of the Mystic and Chelsea Rivers, is 
the city of Chelsea, connected with East Boston and 
Charlestown by bridges. The Indian name of Chel- 
sea was Winnisimmet. The whole of the towns of 
Winthrop, Revere, and Chelsea were under the same 
town government whose head centre was at what is 
now called Revere. The city has two prominent hills,, 
the one nearest the Mystic now occupied by the 
Marine Hospital, and Powderhorn Hill on the east 
side of the city. The building on its summit, origi- 
nally a hotel, has since 1882 been bought and used 
for the Soldiers' Home. In 1775 the principal settle- 
ment was at Revere, and what is now Chelsea con- 
sisted of four farms owned respectively by gentle- 
men by the name of WilHams, Shurtleff, Cary, and 
Carter. In 1837 a company was formed for the set- 
tlement of this part of the town, which bought the ferry 
which ran to Boston, and Williams' farm. In 1835 the 
same company added the Shurtleff farm, and the land 
was laid out into house lots ; from this settlement arose 
the present city of Chelsea, incorporated March 13, 
1857. Across the mouth of the Mystic River we come 
to the historical whilom city of Charlestown, now the 
3d, 4th, and 5th wards of the city of Boston ; it forms 



OF BOSTON HARBOR. 6 1 

the head of Boston Harbor, and is situ- charies- 
ated at the junction of the rivers Charles town. 
and Mystic. This was anciently the camping-ground 
and headquarters of the chief of one of the Massa- 
chusetts Indians. Its name was then Mishawam. 
The first white settler is supposed to have been 
Thomas Walford, who came from the Weymouth 
colony in 1625. His Episcopal beliefs caused con- 
flicts with the early colonists here, and he was forced 
to remove to Portsmouth about 1633, where he died (it 
is thought) about 1660. The first permanent settle- 
ment was made in 1629, when Thomas Graves, a skil- 
ful engineer from Gravesend in Kent, laid out the 
town. The colonists, about one hundred in number, 
had previously arrived at Salem. The name given to 
the settlement was Cherton ; by some it was called 
Charlton, and Charlestown. Governor Winthrop in 
1630 landed here and intended to make the place the 
seat of government, but from the scarcity of good 
water he soon after removed to Boston, or Shawmut as 
it was then called. The territory comprised within 
the limits of the town extended nearly eight miles 
from the centre on both sides of the Mystic, an area 
that is now covered by at least a dozen cities and 
towns. In 1636 Lovell's Island belonged to the town. 
It was here, within the limits of this town, that Gov- 
ernor Winthrop built the first ship ever built in Mas- 
sachusetts, the " Blessing of the Bay," launched July 4, 
1 63 1. The town was originally laid out with streets 
around a hill in the form of an ellipse and it was mu- 
tually agreed that each inhabitant should have two- 
acre lots to plant upon. Shortly after, some began to 
build in a straight line upon their lots, and this was 
the commencement of what is now the principal street 
of the city, — Main Street. 

Upon the removal of Governor Winthrop, Increase 
Nowell, one of the assistant governors, was the only 



C? HISTORICAL SKETCH 

one of the government officers who remained here. 
He was secretary of the colony for many years, and 
has been regarded as the father of the town and 
church. Rev. John Harvard became a resident of the 
town in August, 1637 ; at his death he bequeathed one 
half of his estate and his valuable Hbrary towards the 
foundation of the college that now bears his name. 
He lived on what is now called Main Street. A mon- 
ument was erected to his memory in the ancient 
burial ground, Sept. 26, 1828. In 1630 a fort was 
built on the Town Hill, the men, women, and chil- 
dren lending a hand in the work. This fort was 
abandoned about forty years later. In 1634 a bat- 
tery was built on Sconce Point, near our Warren 
Bridge. In 1774 the guns were secretly removed, to 
prevent their falling into British hands. The town, 
from its earliest settlement, paid great attention to its 
militia, and a training-field was early established. 
Every Friday was the field-day, and it is said that the 
town possessed the best horse troops in the whole 
colony of Massachusetts Bay. Charlestown has three 
hills of prominence, all of them named from the early 
owners of the land, — Bunker Hill, one hundred feet 
high ; Breed's Hill, sixty feet high ; and Moulton's Hill, 
forty feet high. The town was the terminus of the 
first ferry from Boston in 1631 ; this was granted to 
Harvard College in 1640. The first dry-dock in the 
whole country was built here. In October, 1801, the 
United States government purchased some land for a 
navy yard, which has been added to it later. The 
present navy yard contains 87^ acres and has a 
water front of 8,270 feet ; it includes numerous stone, 
brick, and wooden buildings ; the grounds are hand- 
somely laid out with stately trees. The finest rope- 
walk in the country is in this yard ; it was built in 
1836, of stone, and is 1,360 feet long. Another build- 
ing has been erected recently for the manufacture of 



OF BOSTON HARBOR. 63 

wire rope. All the rope used by the United States 
government is made in this yard. The story of the 
first battle of the Revolutionary War is too fami- 
liar to relate, suffice it to say that the imposing 
stone monument (completed in 1843, ^.nd corner- 
stone laid June 17, 1826) rises in majestic grandeur, 
a fitting land-mark for this old town as well as Boston 
Harbor. 

Boston proper forms the extreme western boundary 
of the harbor which bears its name. It formerly was 
a small peninsula of about 625 acres, connected with 
the main land by a narrow neck only a few yards wide, 
bounded on the north and west by Charles River, on 
the east by the harbor, and on the south by a cove or 
bay. This peninsula was divided into two peninsulas 
by the mill-pond on its north side, and the town cove 
on its eastern side. These were connected by an arti- 
ficial creek called Mill Creek, situated about where 
Blackstone Street is at the present day. By the filling 
up of the coves, the present area of the peninsula is 
nearly three times as large as when it was first settled. 
It was totally destitute of trees, and its surface was 
•covered with a growth of small bushes. Town 
Cove, on the harbor side, was the principal land- 
ing place. Its northern point was Copp's Hill ; its 
southern. Fort Hill ; and it made into the land one- 
eighth of a mile, as far as the present Faneuil Hall. 
The northern cov^e or mill-pond had for its extremi- 
ties Copp's Hill on the east, and on the west a point 
situated where the present Bowdoin Square now is ; 
the western shore was washed by Charles River, now 
Charles Street ; the southern bay started from the 
foot of our present Summer Street, followed along our 
present Beach Street and Harrison Avenue to the Rox- 
bury line. Boston's Indian name was Shawmut ; it was 
afterwards called by the early settlers, Tri-Mount or 
Traemount, from the three hills which it possessed. 



64 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

It took its present name by the act of the government, 
Sept, 17, 1630 ; for most of the settlers came from Bos- 
ton, England, and furthermore Lady Arabella Johnson, 
wife of one of the assistant governors of the colony, 
was a native of that town. 

The three hills of Boston were Beacon, Fort, and 
Copp's hills. The first was originally called Sentry 
Hill, and afterwards Beacon Hill, from the beacon 
that was erected upon its summit ; it was subdivided 
into three distinct hills, — Beacon, the highest, being 
two hundred feet high (considerably cut down in 
1824); East, Pemberton, or Cotton's Hill, the later name 
from Rev. John Cotton ; and West, Copley, or Mount 
Vernon. Cornhill or Fort Hill was eighty feet high. 
The first name was given it from the quantities of corn 
planted there, and the later name from the fort that 
was early erected upon its summit ; Snow Hill, Wind- 
mill, or Copp's Hill was fifty feet high ; it was called 
Windmill Hill from a windmill that was erected upun 
it in August, 1632. The name Copp's Hill was given, it 
is supposed, from William Copp, a shoemaker and 
elder of the church ; Copp's Hill was in the centre of 
the northern peninsula of old Boston. There were sev- 
eral smaller hills situated at the foot of the Common, 
only two being left at the present time. The two hills, 
Fort Hill and Copp's Hill, resembled two sentinels 
guarding the cove of Boston, while Beacon Hill stood 
as the rear or a reserve guard. The first settler of 
Boston was William Blackstone (Blaxton as called by 
some historians), one of the colonists of Sir Ferdi- 
nando Gorges' settlement at Weymouth in 1623, and 
came here in 1625. He is described as a bachelor, 
thirty-five years of age, who spent his time cultivating 
the land and trading with the Indians. In 1634 he 
sold to the colonists all but six acres of his land and 
removed to Rhode Island, and afterwards married a 
Boston lady and died at Cumberland, R. I., May 26, 



OF BOSTON HARBOR. 65 

1675. In 1684 the remaining six acres came into the 
possession oi' Boston. 

The next settlement of Boston was made by Gov- 
ernor Winthrop's party some time in September, 1630. 
These colonists sailed from Southampton, England, 
March 22, 1630, and arrived at Salem June 12 the 
same year. It was their first intention to remain to- 
gether, but some went to Mystic (Medford), Noddle's 
Island (East Boston), Mishawam (Charlestown), and 
others to Watertown, Roxbury, Dorchester, and Sau- 
gus River. The settlers of Boston were from Charles- 
town, coming here owing to the abundance of fresh 
water on the peninsula. 

The settlement grew fast, and, as its leader was the 
appointed governor of all the colonies in Massachu- 
setts Bay, it acquired the position as seat of govern- 
ment which it has still retained. Soon after settle- 
ment the colonists prepared for attacks by building forts 
and other means of defence. May 24, 1632, the fort 
on Fort Hill was begun, persons from all the settle- 
ments taking a share in the work ; and on Oct. 26, 1687, 
a fort with bastions was built, with a house for the gar- 
rison ; this was called " The Sconce " or South Battery. 
The North Battery on Copp's Hill was erected in 
1646. In September, 1673, a stone and wooden wall 
was commenced, and extended across the Town Cove 
from the North to South batteries, it was 2200 feet 
long, twenty-two feet wide, and fifteen feet high, and 
had a gate or bridge to admit boats into the cove. 
This barricado, as it was called, was manned with guns 
and had numerous breastworks. All these defences 
were given up soon after the Revolutionary War, and 
the forts farther down the harbor took their place. 

Boston in early days had no communication with the 
main land except at the neck on its western side, and 
by boats to towns on the opposite shores. In Novem- 
ber, 1637, the first ferry was started to run to Charles- 



66 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

town, and in September, 1638, others to Chelsea (Win- 
nisimmet), and East Boston (Noddle's Island). 

The first bridge was Charles River Bridge, finished 
June 17, 1786; followed by Warren Bridge, 1793 ; Dover 
Street, 1804; West Boston, 1805 ; Craigie, 1809; Mill 
Dam, now Beacon Street, 1821 ; Federal Street, 1828 ; 
Chelsea, 1834 ; Broadway, 1872 ; Congress Street. In 
1858, toll bridges were made free. As has heretofore 
been mentioned, a great deal of present Boston is 
made-land. The present Causeway Street was built 
as a dam for the Mill Pond, and the borders of the 
pond were the site of many mills, whose sluice-ways 
emptied into Mill Creek, which emptied into the Town 
Cove. Broad Street was built in 1837 ; India Street, 
1838; and Atlantic Avenue is of very recent date. 
Long Wharf was the first wharf built (1709), started 
from what is now Merchants' Row and extended 
2000 feet into the harbor ; on either side of its end 
was an island or rock. 

In 1641 the first ship was built in Boston ; it was of 
one hundred and sixty tons burden and commanded 
by Capt. Thomas Graves. This same year, 1641, the 
first rope-walk was built by John Harrison. John 
Foster, of Dorchester, established the first printing 
ofiice, December, 1674; previously the only one in the 
colonies was at Cambridge under protecdon of the 
government, and operated by an Englishman. As 
there was no wood upon the peninsula in early days, 
the settlers had to procure it from the adjacent towQ 
and islands ; many laws were passed requiring said 
towns to furnish so many cords of wood. 

Boston furnishes us many lessons in the history of 
the Revolutionary War. Here was shed the first blood. 
Here were stationed the first British troops and on 
Liverpool Wharf (then Sargent's,) was held the noted 
"Tea Party." In the war of 1812 it took a leading 
part, and in the late civil war its history is well known. 



OF BOSTON HARBOR. 



67 



The events clustered around this city would require 

pages to do it justice, but time and space forbid us to 

linger longer. Let us now pass across Fort Point 

Channel. 

The southern shore of Boston proper is washed 

by the waters of the South Bay or Cove ; its outlet 

is called Fort Point Channel. Across Fort Point 

Channel we come to the new docks of 

South 
Boston, built on the recently filled flats of Boston 

Docks* 

the peninsula of South Boston, Ten 

years ago the great undertaking was begun. Massive 




stone piers have been built almost to tide water, where 
the largest steamers can land their freights and re- 
ceive return cargoes from the railroads that traverse 
the wide continent. Immense freight-houses and a 
large grain elevator have been built on these piers. 
This immense undertaking is at present but in its in- 
ception ; for it is intended to extend the system of 
piers as far as the shore of City Point, the eastern ex- 
tremity of the peninsula. 



68 



HISTORICAL SKETCH 



South 
Boston. 



The southern portion of the city of Bos- 
ton is an extensive peninsula, washed on 
the north by South Bay, and on the south by Dor- 
chester Bay, it is connected with the city proper by 
four bridges. Its Indian name was Mattapannock or 
Mattapan, and in later days it was called Dorchester 
Heights, being a part of the town of that name. 
In 1660 the first building was erected by Deacon 
James Blake ; there were only nine houses on its 




vast surface in 1776. In 1776 it was brought into 
much prominence by 2000 Continental troops oc- 
cupying its heights and throwing up fortifications 
in one night, thereby compeUing the British then 
occupying Boston to evacuate the city, and finally 
leave the harbor altogether. The peninsula was an- 
nexed to Boston in 1804. It then had only nineteen 
voters, and to-day its inhabitants number nearly 75,000. 
City The outer or easterly part of the penin- 

Point. gujg^ ig called City Point, and off from it, 
across the shoals, is Fort Independence. Upon the 



OF BOSTON HARBOR. 



69 



extreme point is laid out a park, whither multitudes 
flock during the summer to enjoy the sea breezes and 
charming views. On the 



highland is 



situated the 



BHnd Asylum, an imposing white building. On the 
southern side of the peninsula is the favorite anchor- 
age and harbor for a very large fleet of yachts of 
every kind. At the height of the summer season 
some 700 or 800 yachts lie moored here. Here are 
located two yacht clubs. The Boston Yacht Club, 




organized in 1866, the oldest in New England, is 
the sole owner of a fine house and considerable land, 
and has a large and enthusiastic roll of members, 
comprising many of Boston's merchants. The South 
Boston Yacht Club is a younger and smaller club 
but quite active. 

From City Point the shore runs to the westward for 
a mile and a quarter, then turns to the southward for 
half a mile, and then to the eastward into a long 



^O HISTORICAL SKETCH 

marshy point (Cow Pasture or Old Harbor Point), 
Old thus forming a large, but shallow bay, dry 

Harbor. ^^ j^^ water, called Old Harbor. On the 
northern shore of this bay are situated the yacht- 
building yards of many well-known builders. The 
Cow southern shore is called Cow Pasture, and 
Pasture. jg ^j^^ gj^g ^^ ^j^^ pumping station of the 

new Boston sewerage system. The buildings were 
erected within the past few years at a cost of over 
one million dollars, and the whole system cost over 
seven millions. A tunnel starts from here and runs 
under Dorchester Bay to Moon Island, a distance of 
one and a half miles. This tunnel is 150 feet below 
the water, and is seven feet in diameter. 

A small cove dry at low water makes in between the 

^ southern side of this point and a steep, partly wooded 
acclivity called Savin Hill, one hundred feet in height. 
Savin Before the establishment of the new 
Hii^* sewerage system this hill was considered 

a most enjoyable place of residence, there being a 
good beach, offering all the pleasures of the sea-shore. 
In 1776 a part of the Continental army occupied this 
hill during the siege of Boston. The shore from here 
extends to the eastward from the base of the hill into a 
long narrow sand-point called Savin Point, and on the 

■■ southern side a cove, dry at low water, makes in, 
which is crossed by the Old Colony Railroad. Savin 
Hill is the northern part of Dorchester, and is the only 
high land on the coast until Squantum (part of the 
town of Quincy) is reached. 

Dor- The original area of this portion of the 

Chester. ^.j^.^ ^^^ immense, it covered a district 
thirty-five miles long, and is stated to have extended 
within one hundred and sixty rods of the Rhode 
Island line. The old town comprised what is now 
South Boston, Washington Village, Harrison Square, 
Meeting House Hill, Savin Hill, Mount Bowdoin, 



OF BOSTON HARBOR. 7 1 

Mattapan, Neponset, and Squantum, and a portion of 
what is now Hyde Park. The first-named district was 
annexed to Boston in 1804, the next in 1855, and all 
the rest, except the last, in 1869. Squantum was an- 
nexed to Quincy and Hyde Park in 1855 ^"d 1868. Mil- 
ton and Stoughton (set off, 1726) were once included 
within its boundaries. The town belonged to Suffolk 
County until 1793. 

There were in the town, in 1765, 204 houses and 
1360 inhabitants. Dorchester joined heartily in the 
war for independence, and within its limits (Dorches- 
ter Heights) was the scene of many camps. On these 
heights was thrown up the redoubts and planted the 
cannon which enabled Washington's army to force the 
British to evacuate Boston. 

The first settlement of Dorchester was June 6, 1630. 
Rev. John White, of Trinity Church, Dorchester, 
England, was the promoter of the emigration of the 
colony. A company of about one hundred and forty 
sailed from England in the ship " Mary and John," under 
the command of Capt. Squab, March 20, 1630. The re- 
luctance of the captain prevented their entering the har- 
bor, and they landed at Nantasket Point, then a wilder- 
ness, May 30, 1630. Procuring a boat from some of the 
old settlers, they loaded it with goods and started up the 
harbor (they believing it to be Charles River), landing at 
Charlestown. A part of the party went up Charles River 
until it began to be too narrow ; here they landed and 
were met by an Indian holding out a fish, which was 
exchaaged for a biscuit. (This scene is depicted upon 
the seal of Watertown of to-day.) They soon returned 
to Charlestown, where they joined their party, and next 
landed at a place called by the Indians Mattapan, now 
South Boston. A week from their arrival at Nantasket 
all their goods were removed to their new settlement. 
One week after, Gov. Winthrop arrived at Salem. 

Dorchester was the first settled place in Suffolk 



72 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

County, and was given its name by the Court, Sept. 7, 
1630. In July, 1633, a new arrival of eighty more 
made the town the largest and wealthiest in Massa- 
chusetts. In all military and civil meetings Dorches- 
ter stood the first, and received the first town govern- 
ment in New England, Oct. 8, 1633. On May 30, 
1639, they passed a tax levy for the maintenance of 
free schools. This was the earliest movement for the 
establishment of free schools that has made New 
England so famous. 

Fishing was a very lucrative occupation for the 
inhabitants of Dorchester. The early houses were 
simple log cabins covered with thatch. The oldest 
house was the Minot House, which many of the 
present inhabitants can remember ; it was burned 
November, 1879. ^^ appeared all wood, but its frame 
was filled with brick, either for durability or for 
protection from assault. Other ancient houses re- 
mained until within a few years. Dorchester had the 
first church in the Bay. It was built in 1631. It was 
used at one time as an arsenal. This stood for four- 
teen years, when a new house was built on Meeting 
House Hill. This hill has remained a site for a 
church for 210 years. The first minister was Saul 
Maverick, who afterwards settled at East Boston. 

Dorchester was expected to become the chief place 
and common centre of Massachusetts, but the meagre 
depth of its harbor prevented its development as a 
political and commercial capital. Annexed to Boston, 
June 22, 1869. Dorchester is a favorite place of 
residence for the business men of the city. From 
its highlands one obtains charming views of the 
harbor and the adjacent country, while its numerous 
historical mansions and places are interesting to all 
students of colonial life and times. 

The southern point of the entrance to Quincy (?) 
Cove is a flat peninsula called Commercial Point. It 



'OF BOSTON HARBOR. 73 

forms the western shore of the mouth of the Neponset 
River, and consists of lowlands thickly set- commercial 
tied. There is a wharf on its southeastern Point. 
part. On the shore of this cove or bay is the thickly 
settled part of the town known as Harrison Square. 
Here is also situated another flourishing yacht club 
called the Dorchester Yacht Club. 

Inland from the bay are the high lands of Mount 
Bowdoin and Meeting House Hill, from the summit of 
which are had some remarkably fine views of the har- 
bor. 

Neponset River leads to Neponset Village, now 
part of Boston, which is one mile above its mouth ; 
two miles further is Milton Mills. The Neponset 
river is narrow and crooked, is one third Eiver. 
of a mile in width at its mouth, and about thirty mile^ 
long. In early days many mills were built on its banks. 
On the eastern shore of its mouth are extensive salt 
meadows known as Farm Meadows, forming a penin- 
sula called Farm Point ; adjoining them to the east- 
ward is another peninsula called Squantum. It is 
irregular in shape, extending in an east-northeasterly 
direction, and is about a mile in length, with an 
average breadth of two thirds of a mile ; it is hilly, and 
has a bluff one hundred feet high on its water front. 
A short distance to the north is Thompson's Island, 
and connected with this peninsula by a flat dry at low 
water is Moon Island. According to one tradition it 
was named from Tisquanto, an Indian chief, the first 
to make friends with the early settlers. In 1776 the 
place was the scene of some cannonading by the Brit- 
ish vessels. In 1812 the first race-course in the State 
was established here. Squantum has always been well 
settled, and many fine residences have been built, but 
by the estabhshment of the sewerage system on Moon 
Island its reputation for a summer home is forever lost. 
Squantum forms the boundary of Dorchester Bay on 



74 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

the north and Quincy Bay on the east. Squantum was 
annexed to Quincy in 1855. From Squantum penin- 
sula the shore runs nearly in an easterly direction 
for about two and a third miles to Hough's Neck, a pen- 
insula of Quincy which forms the easterly boundary of 
Quincy Bay. This shore is mostly low-lying and highly 
cultivated. A little back of it rise several hills, chief 
among them being Mount Wollaston. It is situated 
at the point where Hough's Neck joins the mainland, and 
was named after Capt. Wollaston, who settled here in 
1625. This was also the site of the first settlement in 
Boston Harbor. In 1622 Thos. Morton, of London, 
obtained the government of this colony and led the 
colonists into scenes of such frightful debauchery that 
the Pilgrims formed an expedition to break up the 
colony ; they landed here, arrested Morton, and 
burnt the place. Edmund Quincy died in 1636, aged 
22 ; by his death his son, Edmund Quincy, Jr., came 
into possession of 1000 acres ; the property still 
remains in the possession of that family. From 
them the town was named Quincy. The town of 
Quincy proper is situated about a mile in the interior ; 
it has no approaches by water, but is situated on a 
small creek emptying into the Weymouth Fore River. 
Wollaston Heights, another section of the 
Heights." town, is also situated in the interior ; from 
its eminence it is quite a prominent land- 
mark in the harbor. Atlantic is another section newly 
settled. Blue Hills are to the westward ; they offer an 
important landmark to vessels entering the harbor. 
They are 635 feet high, and cover a space of about 
twenty square miles. They are not only noted for 
their grand height and beauty, but for the rich stores 
of granite which they contain. 

Hough's Neck, so-called for Atherton Hough of 
Boston, to whom it was granted in 1637, is a peninsula 
one mile long, of moderate height ; at its northeastern 



' OF BOSTON HARBOR. 75 

end is a hill one hundred feet high, with a steep bank, 
this is called Quincy Great Hill. Hough's Neck 
forms part of the western boundary of Hingham Bay, 
a sheet of water bounded on the south by Wey- 
mouth and Hingham, east by the western shores of 
Nantasket Beach (Hull), north by Hull from Wind- 
mill Point to Point Allerton, west by Pettick's 
Island and Hough's Neck, dotted by many islands, hav- 
ing narrow channels bordered by numerous flats, cov- 
ered with grass, and which are always covered by water. 
After leaving Quincy Great Hill, the shore runs south 
to another point of land called Rock Island Point or 
Head ; this land is sixty feet high. This point is at 
the mouth of a river called Weymouth Fore River; 
from here, the shore makes an abrupt turn westerly, 
and thence easterly, making a cove called Rock Island 
Cove. On the opposite side of thecove from Rock Is- 
land Head is a small village called Germantown. This 
place was settled by German and French Protestants. 
In 1776 it took an active part in the Revolution and sent 
out some privateers ; it was quite early a q^i 

seafaring place, and many ships were built Point. 
here in later years; it is situated on a peninsula, at 
the end of which is a point called Gull Point ; this 
peninsula is low land ; the shore from Gull Point runs 
southwest to Town River Bay, thence follows the bay in 
a westerly direction to a point of land called Phillips 
Head, which is the entrance of a cove called Sailors' 
Snug Harbor, which is only a harbor in name, for the 
cove is dry at low water. Here is the home for poor 
and aged sailors, founded in 1856, Town River 
Bay is 175 yards wide at its entrance ; then, widening 
to an eighth of a mile, it extends one mile in a north- 
west direction, at the head of which empties Town 
River, on which Quincy is situated. On the shore of 
the south entrance is the village of Bent's Point ; here 
a bridge crosses Weymouth Fore River, which is an 



70 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

eighth of a mile wide at this point. The river, after 
leaving the bridge in a southerly direction, widens into 
a bay. A little way south of the bridge is Ruggle's 
Creek, a shallow stream running between Bent's 
Point Village and a peninsula called Braintree Neck. 
On the southern side of Braintree Neck is another 
shallow stream called Hayward's Creek, this leads to 
Newcomb's Landing ; the shore from here runs in an 
east-southeasterly direction for a half mile, then south. 
Here is situated Weymouth Landing. The river here di- 
minishes to a narrow creek. From the landing the shore 
takes a northerly course, thence makes a turn south a 
little way, forming another cove, into which empties a 
North creek on which is situated North Wey- 
Weymouth. f^outh ; the shore from here is irregular, 
and runs in a northerly direction until it reaches the 
bridge opposite Bent's Point. From the bridge the 
shore extends in an easterly direction, terminating in a 
peninsula called Eastern Neck, which separates the 
two Weymouth Rivers, on the northern and western 
part of which, opposite Rock Island Point, is a hill 
145 feet high, called Weymouth Great Head. Back 
from this point, extending to the west, is the village 
Old of Old Spain, the site of the first settle- 

Spain, ment in Boston Harbor, May, 1622 ; the 
extreme point extending from Eastern Neck, and much 
narrower than it, is Edward's Neck, sometimes called 
Lower Neck, with three points, two extending north- 
west, and one southeast. This peninsula separates 
the two rivers, Weymouth Fore and Weymouth Back. 
Here are situated the extensive works of the Bradley 
Fertilizer Co. founded in 1861. On the opposite shore 
of Weymouth Back River is a wide peninsula sepa- 
rating it from the entrance of Hingham Harbor. Back 
River runs nearly south half a mile, then turns abrupt- 
ly and runs west for five eighths of a mile to a heacilaird 
on the southern shore, called Stodder's Neck, a hill 



OF BOSTON HARBOR. 



77 



of moderate height, with a cove called Stodder's Cove. 

On its easterly side the river then widens out, turns 

south, and is crossed, about a quarter of a mile up, by a 

bridge, beyond which it is narrow for a quarter of a 

mile, then widens somewhat, and is shallow ^ ^ 

' ' East and 

for three quarters of a mile, beyond which South 
it is nothing but a creek. On this river 
is situated East Weymouth, noted for its iron works. 
The easterly side of the river is high, rocky, well- 
wooded, and is a favorite camping-ground. South 
Weymouth is situated in the interior, and is noted for 
its shoe factories. 

WEYMOUTH. 

The first settlement in Boston Harbor was made 
in this town, on what is now called Old Spain, 
at foot of King Oak Hill, in the middle of May, 
1622, by ten men, who came in an open boat from the 
coast of Maine, where they had left their ships. At- 
tracted by the beauty of the place, and its position for 
trading and fishing, they decided that this site was 
worthy to settle on. The expedition of which they 
formed a part was planned by Thomas Weston, an Eng- 
lish merchant belonging to the Merchant Adventurers' 
Company under whose control were the Plymouth Col- 
ony. Weston not receiving any returns in merchan- 
dise from the Plymouth people, sold out his interest 
and formed a private company for the establishment of 
settlements for trade. His attempt at settlement here, 
and its fate at the hands of the other colonists, have 
been described under the heading Mount WoUaston. 
After the settlement was abandoned, part of the set- 
tlers went to Plymouth, and others to the fishing 
stations on the Maine coast. 

About the time this first colony was breaking up, 
another expedition was being fitted out under the au- 
spices of Sir Ferdinand Gorges, who had just received 



78 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

a patent of a vast tract in this district. The persons 
who joined this expedition were nearly all of an edu- 
cated class, among them Rev. Wm. Morrell, Wm. 
Blackstone, and Samuel Maverick. The two last were 
the first settlers of Boston and East Boston. All 
were men of high standing and means, and a portion 
were mechanics, one of whom, Thos. Walford, a black- 
smith, afterwards became the first settler of Charles- 
town. This party arrived in September, 1623. Find- 
ing the remains of the former settlement, and tempted 
by the shelter which it offered, they established them- 
selves here, and it became the first permanent settle- 
ment in Boston Harbor. The Indian name of Wey- 
mouth was Wessaguset, and the river was Monato- 
quot. The town was given the name Weymouth in 
memory of the town in England. 

The shore of the extreme end of the peninsula 
which separates Hingham Harbor on the east, and 
Weymouth Back River on the west, runs in an east- 
erly direction to the entrance to Hingham Harbor ; 
here the land makes a point called Crow Point, a 
hill sixty feet high, with steep banks. A pier or 
breakwater is built out at its eastern end to the chan- 
nel. Three eighths of a mile south the shore recedes, 
making a cove long and narrow, called Walton's Cove. 
The southern point of this cove is a hill steep on its 
north side, called Otis Hill. On the southern side 
of this hill is another long narrow cove called Broad 
Cove ; the shore from this point runs south to the 
wharves of Hingham. 

DOWNER LANDING (CROW'S POINT). 

This used to be a favorite landing for the old Boston 
packets. This land was bought in 1854 by Samuel 
Downer, who has turned it into a beautiful summer 
watering-place, containing over ten acres called Mel- 
ville Garden, which offers attractions of every kind for 



' OF BOSTON HARBOR. 79 

the excursionist or picnic parties. Ragged Island, a 
rocky islet three hundred yards long, is connected with 
the garden :by a bridge. 

HINGHAM 
is beautifully situated, well laid out, with pleasant 
drives shaded with old trees, and it was once a 
most fashionable watering-place. The opening and 
building up of Jerusalem Road in Cohasset, a con- 
tinuation of the main street of Hingham, has some- 
what diminished Hingham's prestige. Hingham was 
first settled in 1633, ^^^ called Bear Cove, from 
an English town of same name from which the col- 
onists came. Its inhabitants always took an active 
part in the affairs of the early settlements, and 
during the Revolution aided the cause in various 
ways. Many old names which it now contains are 
descendants of men famous in history. Here is the 
" Lincoln " family, from which our beloved martyr Pres- 
ident descended. It was the birthplace of our war 
governor, John Andrews, and many others. Many old 
houses remind us of the old colonial days. The old 
meeting house, built in 168 1, at great cost tor those 
days (;^48o), is still standing. The old Perry Lincoln 
house was built in 1640. In the interior is Hingham 
Centre, South Hingham, still further is Queen Anne's 
Corner, so called from the houses built in the style of 
architecture of the eighteenth century. In the ex- 
treme southern part is Accord Pond, from which water 
is taken that supplies the town and Hull to Wind- 
mill Point. On the road to Weymouth, on a hill called 
Fort Hill, are the remains of the old fort built in 1675 
for a defence from the Indians. Hingham was the 
landing-place for the early packets from Boston, the 
old landing was on Crow's Point, a part of Hing- 
ham. In 1 81 8, the sailing boats first made way for the 
first excursion steamer. Eagle. 



8o HISTORICAL SKETCH 

From the wharves we follow the shore in a northerly 
direction to a small cove called Martin's Well, and 
thence to a hill called Planter's Hill, one hundred feet 
high, which is cultivated on its sides ; this is con- 
nected by a narrow strip of lowland to another 
hill called World's End, eighty feet high, with a 
steep bank on its western side, this hill forms the 
limit of Hingham, as Crow's Point does on the south- 
^eir ern side of the entrance to Weir River. 

River. yj^g shore of this river is the favorite 
resort for camping parties. The scenery is grand ; a 
branch leads to Nantasket Beach ; the main river 
winds in and out among woody hills for some miles 
in the interior, and is only navigable for small boats. 
The description of Nantasket Beach we will defer 
until we trace the shore around the village of Hull, 

White On the northern entrance of Weir River 

Head, jg ^ narrow neck of high land, extending in 
a westerly direction from the beach, called White 
Head. Following the westerly shore of the beach, 
which runs northerly, we come to Sagamore Head, a 
high bluff extending into Hingham Bay, thence to 
Strawberry Hill, thence to a low sand point called 
Skull Head, and from here to southwestern side of 
Point Allerton. The shore from here makes a cove, 
which is the northeast point of the bay, thence follows 
a pebble beach to the village of 

HULL, 

situated on four hills, the most northerly being known as 
Telegraph Hill. Hull, distant from Boston nine miles 
by boat, twenty-two miles by cars, consists of the terri- 
tory embraced between White Head, Point Allerton, 
and Windmill Point on the west, and Black Rock be- 
yond Adantic Hill, north and east, with Weir River in 
its whole length for its southern boundary, seven miles 



OF BOSTON HARBOR. Si 




long and one half of a mile wide at widest part. Hull's 
first Indian name was Nantasat. Hull was settled, it is 
said, in 1622, at the time of the first settlement at Wey- 
mouth by Thomas and John Grey, and Walter Knight, 
who purchased it from the Indian chief Chicataubut. In 
1629, it was reported by Gov. Winthrop's people as 
an uncouth place, hardly deserving to be called a 
settlement. It w^as formerly thickly covered with 
wood. In 1644 the Grand Court in Boston ordered 
one hundred and fifty trees of timber to be cut here to 
build a fort at Castle Island. 

The oldest house is said to be that now occupied by 
John Boyle O'Reilly, in the village, probably built in 
1650 ; the Nantasket House, quite near this, was built 
in 1675. The Oregon House was built in 1848 from 
portions of the old barracks on Fort Independence, it 
is said. In 1673, Telegraph Hill was covered with 
cornfields, and a beacon was erected to warn Boston 
on the approach of danger. In 1776 a French fort was 
built on the hill by Du Portail, then chief engineer of 
the army, and it was put under the command of Gen. 
Benj. Lincoln. From here signals were given to a 
tower on Central Wharf, Boston. The fort was de- 
stroyed at the time of the evacuation of Boston in the 
Revolutionary war, and was afterwards rebuilt by Count 
d'Estaing and armed with thirty guns. It is said that 
the French had a cemetery at the foot of the hill 
towards the sea, but now nothing marks the place* 



82 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

The ancient road ran at the base of the hill by this old 
cemetery. The town has been an Episcopal settle- 
ment, a fishing port, a continental fort, and afterward a 
French camp. Point Allerton is connected with Hull 
by a pebbly beach called Stony Beach. The present 
point is one half of a mile long. It formerly comprised 
two hills, and the beacon marks its shoals or point 
which has been washed away. Its present name was 
given it by Isaac Allerton of the Plymouth Colony, 
who explored Boston Harbor in company with Capt. 
Miles Standish in 1621, who was a relative, and Dep- 
uty Governor of Plymouth. In the war of 1776 
it was used as a camp for soldiers. The United States 
government built a strong sea-wall around its sea- 
front. 

NANTASKET BEACH 
is four miles long, of smooth hard sand watered on the 
east by the ocean and on the west by Hingham Bay ; it 
is devoid of trees, and it affords grand drives, fine sea- 
bathing. The ownership of this beach was contended 
for by Hingham and Hull in 1671, but the court sup- 
ported Hull, insisting that their original grant covered it. 

STRAWBERRY HILL 
is of considerable prominence, a grassy hill, and not 
settled at present. The water tower of the Hingham 
Water Works stands on top. It was the site of a 
camp of a brigade of Massachusetts militia in 1867. 
In 1775, ^^ old barn stood on its top and was burned 
by the Continentals and made a great illumination. 

SKULL HEAn, 
to the north of this, was the favorite fighting-ground 
of the Indians, and hence its name. This land has 
been obtained by a syndicate who have laid out this 
part of the beach in house lots, and the settlement 
is called Hobartsville. The next hill to the south is 



OF BOSTON HARBOR. 83 

SAGAMORE HILL, 

once the home of an Indian chief, and his great 
councils were held by him here. The northwest part of 
this is a bluff called White Head. At the southern 
end of the beach, in 1826, was a public house opened 
by a man named Worrick, which was visited by Daniel 
Webster and all the great men who used to enjoy the 
shooting on the beach. In 1846 Nehemiah Ripley 
built the Rockland House, and k- 1879 the present 
Nantasket House was erected The whole beach 
from Strawberry Hill to Atlantic Hill is now lined with 
hotels. 

ATLANTIC HILL. 

The hill at the southern end of the beach is a steep 
and rocky coast, thickly settled and covered with 
elegant residences ; it extends south to Weir River, 
which forms a lake at its base, called Straits Pond or 
Nantasket Lake. Next beyond this is 

GREEN HILL, 

forming the other extremity of the town of Hull ; this 
is thickly settled, but by a less pretentious class. 
At its southern base is Weir River, This hill termi- 
nates and leads on to Jerusalem Road, the aristocratic 
portion of the southern shore. This road is lined with 
handsome villas. On a pleasant summer day the 
travel and fine turn-outs well repays a visit ; the road 
leads by the Black Rock House, another popular sum- 
mer hotel, and terminates at the point opposite 
Minot's Light, on which w.s once the epicures' para- 
dise, Peter Kimball's Pleasant Beach House. The 
view from this point is one ot the finest on the coast, 
directly out to sea, with the fierce waves breaking with 
a roar on its rocky coast. 



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